All Blacks' hooker Andrew Hore will wear the blue of his region for the first time in more than 11 years when he plays for the Highlanders in their pre-season match against the Crusaders in Greymouth on Friday night.
Hore, now 33, made his debut for Otago in 1998 and played 10 games before he transferred to Taranaki after the 2000 season when he found his path blocked by Anton Oliver and Tom Willis.
Hore subsequently forged a successful career with the Hurricanes and the All Blacks but, after being controversially dropped by the Hurricanes last year, he has returned to the family farm in Ranfurly and to Otago and the Highlanders.
Hore will be anchor a front row along with props Bronson Murray and new signing Ma'afu Fia, from Manawatu, and is one of three All Blacks in the Highlanders squad for the match.
Adam Thomson will play on the blindside flank in a loose trio which is completed by promising Southlanders John Hardie and Elliot Dixon, and halfback Jimmy Cowan will start at halfback inside Wellington youngster Lima Sopoaga.
The latter will play in place of Colin Slade, who is recovering from hernia surgery and is one of eight players not available for various reasons.
Others on the injured list are: captain and prop Jamie Mackintosh (pelvis), locks Jarrad Hoeata (pectoral muscle), Josh Bekhuis (hip), outside back Siale Piutau (ankle) and midfielder Shaun Treeby (knee).
In addition, wing Hosea Gear is playing for the New Zealand sevens side this weekend and new recruits Tamati Ellison and England loose forward James Haskell are still involved with their club teams in Japan.
With Treeby and Ellison not available, Otago utility back Glenn Dickson, who is part of the wider training squad, will partner Kendrick Lynn in midfield.
And Daniel Ramsay and Culum Retallick will lock the scrum in the absence of Hoeata and Bekhuis.
The Highlanders team is: Ben Smith, Telusa Veainu, Lynn, Dickson, Kade Poki, Sopoaga, Cowan, Dixon, Hardie, Thomson, Ramsay, Retallick, Fia, Hore, Murray. Bench: Jason Rutledge, Chris King, Hoani MacDonald, Doug Tietjens, Aaron Smith, Kurt Baker, Chris Noakes, Buxton Popoiali'i, Nemia Kenatale, Nick Crosswell, Brayden Mitchell.