James Marshall might be more accustomed to wearing the No.10 jersey for Taranaki but he will step in at fullback for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders on Friday night.

Marshall has replaced an out-of-sorts Andre Taylor for the match in Dunedin and admits that aside from a couple of half-games for his province and the odd match for Italian club Aironi in 2010-11 his experience at fullback is limited.

“But it’s not too big a transfer for me I don’t think,” added the 24-year-old Taranaki back of the year.

“We’ll let Beauden (Barrett) run the ship and I’ll just be trying to sniff around him for the little half-gaps and that sort of stuff.”

Marshall has had a long wait to get his opportunity after being part of the Hurricanes wider training squad last year but never getting selected.

“This is like a dream come true for me,” said Marshall, who made his Super Rugby debut off the bench in last week’s 29-28 win over the Crusaders.

“Now I’ve just got to try and take the opportunity because I might not get too many. We all know how good Andre is so I’ve just got to take this chance that I get.”

Marshall is backing his fitness to help him make his mark and he is likely to be a steadier fullback than Taylor, who was one of the Hurricanes’ standout players last year but who has struggled to make any impact so far this season.

“(Marshall) gives us an option as a decision-maker off phase play when Beauden is not in the line,” explained coach Mark Hammett.

“He’s probably fairly similar (to Andre) in that he eyes a gap pretty well. He reads play well. He’s played first-five a lot so he has a pretty good awareness of space under pressure.”

Hammett has yet to name his starting hooker as Motu Matu’u (shoulder) has to get through a fitness test on Thursday.

Matu’u is bracketed with wider training group player Ash Dixon and if he is not given the all-clear Dixon will start and Southland’s Jason Rutledge will come into the reserves.