He may be freezing but Hori BOP is in Invercargill after successfully hitchhiking down the country in time for his beloved Bay of Plenty Steamers ITM Cup match tonight.

Battling snow and hypothermic conditions, in nothing more than a Steamers' jersey, shorts and jandals, the Bay of Plenty Rugby mascot managed to hitch-hike the 1500km journey in two and a half days.

Hori BOP outside Invercargill's Rugby Park.

The trip comes two years after a similar 'Hitching Hikoi' to Dunedin to support the Otago Rugby Union's financial woes.

Today is also a special day for Hori as its 10 years since the Steamers beat Auckland 33-29 at Eden Park to lift the famous Log o' Wood for the first time.

The side has not held it since and are the only team in the ITM Cup not to have a challenge for the Ranfurly Shield since 2006.

Thanks to the help of 12 generous motorists, Hori was able to reach his destination ahead of schedule. Hori admits things were looking grim with an icy chill across the country at certain points of the trip.

'I was in Taupo at about 11am [on Wednesday] and they had just opened the Desert Road an hour earlier and were threatening to close it again.

'Then I was sitting in Oamaru yesterday and the sleet was hitting me sideways. I thought ‘I have bit the biscuit I'm in big trouble'; I was like a walking fridge.”

Picked up in Oamaru by a whitebaiter heading to Invercargill for the opening of the whitebait season, Hori arrived at his southern destination at 9pm Thursday.

With no set plans and having 'loved every minute” of his journey, Hori says a possible return leg is on the cards.

'New Zealand is the greatest country in the world and New Zealander's are the greatest people in the world.

'You see the real best nature of people when you're hitch-hiking.”

Hori is predicting the Steamers will win by a 'sliver”, or in his case 20 points, given the chilly climate the Bay boys will face.

'Hori is down here to show the Bay of Plenty Steamers that they don't need to worry about the cold.”

The Steamers versus Southland Stags is at 7.35pm tonight.