Rugby: Top display on the card when Abbott cuts loose

Magpies' Hurricanes lock Mark Abbott, with ball, trains with fellow lock Jeremy Thrush at Park Island, Napier, before tonight's Super Rugby kick-off. Photo / Warren Buckland

A lot can change in 12 months ... just ask Hawke's Bay Magpies and Hurricanes rugby lock Mark Abbott.

When the Hurricanes visited Napier in April last year to play the Bulls Abbott, 25, trained with the side at their open training session at Taradale but didn't make the match day 23 for the 25-20 victory at McLean Park.

He was released for club play with Napier Old Boys Marist and finished the Super season with two appearances, one as a substitute.

Tonight Abbott will be on the Hurricanes subs bench when they take on the Highlanders. He could easily have been starting had All Black Jeremy Thrush and AB-in waiting James Broadhurst not been in hot form.

Abbott started in the Canes first four games of the season and since then has averaged 15-20m off the bench. He has been dominant when given the opportunity at lineout time, powerful on the carry and tireless on defence.

Expect more of the same when Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd and his assistant, former Magpies flanker John Plumtree, slip the collar off Abbott tonight.

"It's going to be an awesome occasion.With five Magpies in the Highlanders side it's going to be good to play against them ... I'm sure there will be a bit of banter," Abbott said, referring to the Highlanders Magpies quintet of winger Ryan Tongia, second five-eighth Richard Buckman, blindside flanker Gareth Evans, prop Brendon Edmonds and hooker Ash Dixon, who will captain the "visitors".

"It's been great to be able to bring the Canes to my home club," Abbott said after tonight's hosts trained at the NOBM's club's Park Island headquarters on Wednesday.

With a victory tonight or two losing bonus points the Hurricanes could book home advantage for the playoffs.

"It's a good opportunity for the home team," Abbott said with a grin, obviously keen to remind Dixon, Buckman and co who the home side was.

He stressed how eager the Canes were to redeem themselves after last week's 35-18 loss to the Crusaders in Nelson.

"We let ourselves down. There was a lot of frustration after that game and we will be bringing the lessons learnt into this week's match. We should be stronger going forward," Abbott explained.

"We let the Crusaders dictate to us. We weren't up for it and were a bit flat."

Commenting on his own form, Abbott, said he had played more at Super Rugby level than he thought he would this season.

"I've loved every minute of it."

There's no doubt he is doing enough to secure a berth in the Barbarians team for next month's match against the Maori All Blacks at Eden Park.

However, the humble Abbott refused to look that far head.

"There are a lot of good locks in this country," he added.

Like the Hurricanes, the Highlanders, won't be short of motivational ammunition tonight.

A win could set them up with a shot at winning the New Zealand conference at the end of the regular season.

It certainly isn't the strongest Highlanders team head coach Jamie Joseph could name but Canes fans won't have forgotten it wasn't the strongest Crusaders outfit that was delivering the victory speeches a week ago.