Prop Jamie Mackintosh has admitted he is facing a tough decision regarding his future in Super rugby.
Prop Jamie Mackintosh has admitted he is facing a tough decision regarding his future in Super rugby. With the Hurricanes currently courting his signature, Mackintosh is faced with quitting the Highlanders Super 14 franchise with whom his Southland province is aligned. The 24-year-old, who is born and bred in Southland, has played for the struggling Highlanders since making his Super 14 debut in 2007. But, after missing out on All Black selection this year following the Highlanders disappointing Super 14 campaign, it is understood he is keen to move north in a bid to fight his way back into the squad. Mackintosh played in one Test on last year's tour of Britain and Ireland but was overlooked by Graham Henry this year. If a deal is struck it is likely he will be loaned back to Southland rather than appear for one of the four provinces in the Hurricanes' catchment area - Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu. "There are some options to play my rugby somewhere else and still stay at home (Invercargill) which is a major benefit for me," he told stuff.co.nz. "I'm from Southland and to maybe push myself in a new environment with some new people could be an excitement for me. "I'll look to make the call in the next week or so. It's a tough decision for me. I'm a family guy and I've got lots of mates in the Southland team and the Highlanders. "I've got a lot to weigh up but at least it's exciting having some options out there." With New Zealand and Southland scrum-half Jimmy Cowan believed to be considering a move to the Blues, the Highlanders could be set to lose both their big names for next year. Cowan, like Mackintosh, would also look to be loaned back to Southland for the Air New Zealand Cup. But if both decide on a move it would leave the Highlanders heading into their 2010 campaign with neither this year's captain nor vice-captain. Their exit could also hamper future attempts to attract new players to the franchise and make it more difficult to re-sign players within the Otago and Southland regions. The transfer period for players to move from one provincial union to another to determine Super 14 selection ends on October 15.Mackintosh faces tough choice