Do you get to see the Super Rugby games over there?
I don't live in the South Island but I do have a soft-spot for the Highlanders - probably because some of my roots are in Dunedin (my great grandmother landed there as a one year old in 1848), and every season they look like the under dogs (whereas that appellation more correctly belongs to the Auckland Blues).
As with most of the teams the Highlanders have been pretty hard-hit with injuries. (Not to mention South African refs). The games are probably more physical now than they've ever been.We might be lucky to have anyone who can still run come World Cup time.
I live north of Wellington so I'm driven to be first and foremost a Hurricanes supporter. However, they too aren't exactly living up to expectations this season.
One of these days I might think of something to say about shaving.