Bryn Hudson played against NZ Marist in 2015 for the Heartland XV.
Steelform Wanganui will have increased presence on both sides of the annual McCrae Cup match in Timaru tomorrow with late changes coming to both the New Zealand Heartland XV and NZ Marist squads.
And given their different preparations, both teams are likely to bring contrasting styles into the match - Heartland with the structure, Marist with the flair.
Second year Heartland coach Barry Matthews took his squad into camp on home turf at Alpine Energy Stadium earlier in this week, including Wanganui's utility back Craig Clare, No8 Bryn Hudson and the late addition in winger Cameron Crowley.
The man of the match in Wanganui's Meads Cup victory over Horowhenua Kapiti in Levin, Crowley had initially been including in the NZ Marist team under Shaun Breen - also a local coach as part of the Timaru Celtic club.
Three members of that club were in line to play for NZ Marist, but the Heartland XV snapped them up first.
Breen had to wait until Matthews had announced his Heartland squad before picking his team from 60 nominations, as the official NZRU affiliated Heartland team is given first priority for players.
This came into effect again when Mid Canterbury's Maleli Sau was sent off in the Lochore Cup victory over West Coast on Sunday, with Crowley tapped to change sides due to Sau's automatic stand down.
"Cameron has been playing good rugby and was a wee bit unlucky not to make it the first time," said Matthews, agreeing it was virtue from necessity.
Matthews laughed that the 27-year-old is a veteran beyond his actual years, having been in the NZ Heartland team as a teenager back in 2009.
The coach was also pleased to welcome back Hudson for his second stint in the Heartland XV after 2015, believing the loose forward to have been one of Wanganui's strongest players this season, even when the team was struggling in the middle of their campaign with a couple of losses.
"He was taking on the line and bringing two or three people with him."
The other late change is Poverty Bay forward and 2016 selection Everard Reid coming back into the squad after Wanganui's Sam Madams was withdrawn.
In the previous two years, the annual fixture for the McCrae Cup also served as the Heartland XV's warmup game before taking on international fixtures in the Australian Barbarians series and then Fiji tour respectively.
But despite this being the only matchup for 2017, Matthews said they were not inclined to treat it as more of a festival-type affair, where the ideals include playing a fun, Barbarians style of footy.
"We're representing New Zealand Heartland and want to perform to the best we can. When we get to work, we go to work," he said.
"It's better to perform at our best right from the start, rather than trying a few things."
New Zealand Marist are likely to have a different approach due to less preparation time, according to their Wanganui manager Chris Back.
"We'd probably be the complete opposite," he said yesterday.
"We're still on the bus to Timaru, and they've been in camp since Tuesday.
"The Marist brand of rugby is pretty open to free flowing anyway."
Seeing as they have limited time to establish patterns in a squad chosen from 14 different Marist-affiliated clubs around the country - ten from Mitre 10 Cup provinces and four from the Heartland - Back said the gameplan was likely to be securing the set piece as much as possible, and then throw the ball around at any given opportunity.
Crowley's departure to the Heartland XV opened the door for his Wanganui team mate Simon Dibben to rejoin Marist for his third appearance, having previously being selected in the Jason Hamlin-coached side in 2016.
It will be the third year in a row that Marist's Wanganui prop Viki Tofa has played this match, having been in the Marist team in 2015 and then the Heartland squad last year.
He will have a keen tussle with rival Heartland prop Matt Fetu of South Canterbury, whom he has swapped teams with over that same time frame.
There is a further local connection as 2016 Wanganui midfielder Kameli Kuruyabaki has also been chosen, representing the Palmerston North Old Boys Marist Club.
Kuruyabaki transferred from Kaierau at the start of the year, after being a key outside back during Wanganui's undefeated march to last year's Meads Cup.
A handful of the squad have Mitre 10 Cup experience this year for Tasman and Hawke's Bay.
Kickoff is 2.30pm.