When most people think of the Deep South, they conjure up visions of banjos, cotton fields, good ol' boys sipping rye whiskey and steaming bowls of shrimp gumbo.
Ezra Taylor thinks freezing rains, thundering scrums and a remote province where men are men and taking a backward step on the rugby field is an indictable offence.
The trip from the windswept hills of Otago to the tropical climes of Ballymore hasn't been plain sailing for Taylor, a strapping, inked-up backrower who defected from the Highlanders to seek fresh pastures with the Queensland Reds.
A series of injuries has kept his involvement limited thus far but after two hidings at the hands of the Chiefs (50-26) and the Western Force (39-7), Reds coach Phil Mooney rung the changes, giving the 26-year-old a golden opportunity in the process.
His desire to succeed is going to be tested in every way against the Highlanders in Invercargill, an isolated outpost where the Reds have never won and is so close to the bottom of the planet it almost qualifies for an Antarctic postcode.
Brisbane-born Taylor played eight games for the Highlanders before shifting north and knows exactly what to expect from his former side, which is coming in fresh off off a bye and motivated by impressive wins over the Cheetahs and the Bulls.
"They'll definitely be trying to beat us up. They're from the deep south and the ethos and culture of deep southern men is to be a hard man and not let any of your team-mates take a backward step," Taylor said.
"They'll be trying to outmuscle us physically and push us off the ball."
The expectation of a torrid battle at the breakdown is one of the reasons Reds coach Phil Mooney has promoted the hardened number eight at the expense of Leroy Houston, who moves to the bench after a string of patchy showings at the back of the scrum.
He is hoping Taylor, one of eight changes for Saturday night's contest, will add some lustiness to the tight five in the face of a pack lead by a mammoth front row and fearless in the surrounds of Rugby Park.
"The Highlanders have got a very big front row and the boys in our front row are going to have to work hard. Greg Holmes is back and he's well established and has a lot of experience. There's always a way around a big man. They'll find a way," Taylor said.
"Hopefully I can bring a bit more aggression to the breakdown at ruck time. I look for the chance to make a big tackle now and then. It definitely spurs along a team. One guy makes a big tackle and the rest of the guys want to get in there with him."
Taylor might just be the spark the Reds need after they were flat and uninspired against the Force, made to look sluggish at the breakdown and generally outworked across the park.
He wants to help the Reds regain the in-your-face approach that served them well earlier in the season but evaporated after a surging home win against the Sharks and the ensuing week off.
"We started out the season trying to have that physical presence and be bully boys. I think we lost a bit of that mindset after the bye but I hope we can get it together. Through a couple of big hits and just getting out there with that mindset, we'll come up trumps," Taylor said.
Taylor's workmanlike attitude means he feels grateful to be given first shot at the Reds number eight shirt, even if he feels like he hasn't done enough work to really call it his own.
"I don't know if I fully deserve to be there at the moment. I believe you have to really, really, really earn your spot," Taylor said.
"Me starting this weekend and playing as best I can and doing well for the team, I feel I would have really earned it. I've still got a lot to prove."
Houston will be feeling a similar sentiment. Demoted to the bench, the skillful ballrunner has the ability to crack a game open but lacks the consistency and hardened Super rugby physique Mooney is demanding.
It's easy to see how the former Waratah would have Mooney tearing out his hair. The backrower's talent is evident but silly mistakes and questionable fitness are obvious chinks in his armour.
"Leroy is a wonderfully talented player. The challenge for him is he has to be more consistent. We've spoken about that. He brings great skill to us but he has to bring that more consistently," Mooney said.
"Leroy has to continue to work hard physically. That gives him the ability to play longer and maintain concentration."
Mooney has recalled Wallabies prop Holmes (neck-shoulder) from injury and raw-boned flanker Scott Higginbotham mainly to muscle up against the tough, no-frills Highlanders.
He also dumped young wingers Blair Connor and Rod Davies from his squad altogether, recalling injured duo Peter Hynes and Brando Va'aulu and putting teenage sevens star Luke Morahan on the bench. Backrower Van Humphries misses out with a cork
