Don't forget about Jamie Mackintosh

WHERE IT BELONGS: Southland Stags captain Jamie Mackintosh shows the Ranfurly Shield to the thousands gathered outside the Civic Theatre after the ticker-tape parade in Invercargill.

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Remember Jamie Mackintosh? Big lad, touring All Black, considered at one stage the second coming of Carl Hayman. Then, at the tender age of 24, seemingly chucked on the national scrapheap.

That was just one part of a tumultuous 2009 for the 129kg powerhouse prop from Southland they rightfully call Whoppa.

There was also an historic Ranfurly Shield victory and national championship semifinal campaign with the Stags, not to mention the world's longest celebration party afterwards.

But here's some good news for Highlanders fans. Mackintosh has done some soul-searching between Super 14s and he's reached one pretty firm conclusion: this year's competition is, first and foremost, about "having some fun with my mates".

And after that it's, as Julie Andrews would say, "Que cera, cera". Whatever will be, will be.

"I am motivated," said the big Highlanders loosehead ahead of Saturday night's Super 14 opener against the Crusaders in Christchurch. "Last year's Super 14 was quite a tough one - I got injured, came back and had a couple of good games, then for the last six matches probably just drifted off out of a little bit of form.

"I've done a lot of soul-searching and learnt a lot about myself last year, and turned my attitude around. I thought I played some of my best rugby during the NPC, and was really happy with how I was going. I'm just looking forward to carrying that form over into the Super 14 and having some fun with my mates.

"The big problem was last year I was probably a bit too focused on trying to get back into the All Blacks as opposed to just playing some rugby and having fun with my mates. When I'm having fun, I think I'm playing my best rugby. I'm just look forward to playing with my mates and having a few beers."

It's a simplistic approach, but probably a good one from the 1.92m gargantuan who fulfilled a long-help prophecy when he toured north with Graham Henry's All Blacks in 2008.

Clearly he lost ground in the national pecking order last year, paying the price for the less than impressive Super 14 campaign. But at 24 (he turns 25 the day after the Highlanders' week two clash against the Blues) time is on his side.

It's why it's heartening to hear the attitude is so good from a young man who's already tucked away six seasons of provincial rugby, and three at the level above. He's always had the raw material, and maybe it's only now that the technique and mindset are falling into line with the physique.

Mackintosh is the pillar of a fearsome Highlanders front row that will also feature Clint Newland or Chris King at the other prop, and Jason Rutledge or Jason Macdonald at hooker.

Big, strong men all. Also, as fit as they've ever been, according to Highlanders insiders.

Mackintosh has retained his playing bodyweight but after a pre-season that's had a definite accent on lifting heart-rates rather than iron, he says he and all his "mates" are up around career highs in the key testing area.

"I've trained probably the hardest I've ever trained," he says. "So have all the boys. Traditionally we've done a lot of weights down here and got ourselves pretty big. We've leant towards a bit more running this year and all boys are in pretty good nick."

Mackintosh concedes that the Highlanders have been together long enough now to finally shake the "best of the rest" tag. Though he reckons they must continue to embrace their no-stars philosophy.

"If you look at a lot of teams that do well, they have world-class players in four or five positions. We've got Jimmy Cowan who's an established All Black and Adam Thomson. Apart from that we're just a bunch of fellas who work pretty hard.

"We have to work really hard at our game and play well as a team to get results, but the longer we stay together the easier that comes. We haven't got any excuses this year, we've kept the same team, we're all nice and fit and we're just going to have to work hard to get results."

Mackintosh likes the look of the Highlanders pack this year which he reckons has the potential to be "awesome". He nominates Josh Bekhuis and Nasi Manu as a couple of rising stars, likes the depth at No 7, accepts Thomson class as a given and knows the front row will take care of itself.

He also figures on a bit more firepower than previous years in the backs, particularly out wide where Mackintosh likes the mix of rugby brains and explosive speed.

It's all promising, but mackintosh knows too well it counts for nothing until those ticks are place dint he win column.

"When you build a winning culture it doesn't matter how you win or where you win, you just learn to win. That's, something we've lacked and hopefully can turn that round."

- © Fairfax NZ News