Wellington superfan Emily McDonald has tempted fate with her bold decision to celebrate the All Blacks' 2023 World Cup triumph with a tattoo - before they even take the field for their semi-final against Argentina.
Previously perceived as underdogs at the France tournament, New Zealand have thrust themselves back into favouritism with their inspirational defeat of world No.1 Ireland in the quarter-finals, snapping their opponents' 17-game winning streak in the process.
Perhaps they were just a little too inspiration, as their performance drove McDonald to the ultimate show of support - a thigh tattoo prematurely declaring the All Blacks winners of their fourth World Cup crown.
The outline of the Webb Ellis Trophy with '2023 NZ' scrawled inside resulted from McDonald's over-exuberant reaction to the 28-24 victory over the Irish.
"I got it done yesterday morning," she told AM."My thought was I watched the rugby game... and was on a bit of a buzz when we finished, because it was a very tense last 10 minutes.
"I told my dad that, if we win, I'd get the Rugby World Cup tattooed on me in celebration. My friend James told me it would be way funnier if I got it before and predicted the outcome.
"I thought that would be funny as well."
In the cold light of day, McDonald has no regrets.
"I have a lot of faith in the boys," she insisted. "I doubt they'll let us down."
Has her show of confidence merely cursed the All Blacks, wonders AM host Lloyd Burr.
"If we lose the game tomorrow, I'm going to need someone to blame," he said. "A lot of people around New Zealand might be looking to you, going, 'That Emily chick from Wellington, she jinxed it'."
McDonald is forthright: "A lot of people have told me that, but you could also say, if they win, it was because of me as well."
She boldly forecasts a 50-0 win over the Pumas and 24-14 over South Africa in the final, but if the unthinkable happens, McDonald has a back-up plan.
"Either I leave it, because it's really funny, or my tattoo artist said he can cross out the date for free and I'll just change it to the next year we win," she said.
Which would be 2027... obviously.
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