Firebrand Dixon brings excitement - and electrical tape -to the max

Highlanders' action man Elliot Dixon. Photo / Getty Images

Hey mum, I want an Elliot Dixon doll for Christmas, complete with extras like his trademark electrical tape to wrap around the head.

Which is a way of saying that Highlanders hero Dixon might be approaching cult hero status after the Super Rugby final. He's not only the sort of full-steam-ahead footballer the crowd loves, there's something wild and different about him, the way he looks, the way he plays. Dixon might also become a cause celebre if he doesn't get due attention from above, that also better reflects what the Highlanders have done.

The All Blacks are full of old timers who've been there, done that. They need a raw firebrand or two, and the Southland loosie is one of those.

Victor Vito and Liam Messam better watch out. They are class loose forwards but Vito lacks extreme fire while Messam is in danger of over-playing the cagey old devil these days. The final two weeks of this Super Rugby season might have forced an All Black recount. That impressive Highlanders pack isn't Scotch mist. Someone must have made it happen.

Quick, someone start an Elliot Dixon For The World Cup campaign and fire up one for the Hurricanes' whirlwind Ardie Savea while at it.

Black jersey or no black jersey, Dixon's place is secure in Kiwi sports hearts after his awesome-strength try and storming game which smashed the Hurricanes.

I know little about Dixon apart from the obvious, a world title-winning junior who originated from Canterbury and progressed to the school of hard knocks in the deep south. But this is what he looks like.

Dixon looks like a bloke who skipped loose forward finishing school to go steer wrestling instead. He runs like he learnt from an elephant stampede. Sometimes, he has crazy eyes. Yes, he was in the system. But no, he doesn't play like he was churned out by the system.

It doesn't look like he's been watching much footy on TV either. Everybody knows that when a video referee is needed, the alleged try scorer's job is to act confident, celebrate the touchdown.

Having done the hard yards by dragging a posse of Hurricanes to the try line with him, Dixon fluffed the easy bit by blatantly ruing his failure to nail the try. It was kind of charming and made you love him even more. And it all worked out okay, with the try being given.

But Dixon needs to work on that part of his game. At a pinch, he could remain neutral while the verdict is being decided. But Dixon isn't a man who does neutral.

Which brings us to the headgear. Is it electrical tape or duct tape? I'm not sure. But there are times when the hairdo veers towards wearable art.

What a year it has been, and this Highlanders team will be remembered forever. They put the charm, the fun, the romance back into rugby with a big dollop of help from the freewheeling Hurricanes. They also gave the All Blacks a decent nudge, reminding them that reputations are there to be smashed, that experience only counts for so much.

What a match, and what a man-of-the-match - an everyman team in every regard.

Go back to the start of the year. The Highlanders were no chance to win the title. Colin Craig had more chance of winning an election.

And Elliot Dixon - MVP in the final? Are you crazy?