Trael Joass was the right man for the job, according to All Blacks Sevens veteran Kurt Baker.
The World Cup winners went viral, when Baker posed naked on Joass' shoulders in a team photo after their tournament final win at San Francisco on Monday (NZ time).
Speaking on arrival back into Auckland, Baker told Newshub that the prank was designed to amuse teammates, as they wound down from a stressful week.
"It was just for a bit of a laugh," Baker said. "I have always sort of done something like that if we win something, so thought I better keep up the tradition, given it was a World Cup.
"Got to celebrate that. He [Joass] was a sitting duck and just the man for the job," he laughed.
Joass said Baker had mentioned the photo opportunity during the week and he had laughed it off, but before he knew it, a naked Kurt Baker had hopped on his shoulders.
"He hit me up earlier and told me about this master plan to sit on someone's shoulders if we win the cup," Joass told Newshub.
"I said 'sweet' - and then he said 'naked'. I told him I would get back to him.
"All of a sudden, he said, 'Right get down, I need to get on your shoulders'.
"It happened pretty quick."
But the Bay of Plenty representative insisted that was as wild as the team celebrations got after the victory over England in the final.
Joass told Newshub that they reined themselves in, so they could enjoy each other's company and their team success.
"Pretty PG actually, besides that photo," he laughed. "That was early in the piece - just the start and was going to lead into whatever else.
"It was good celebrations. We stayed together as a team, had a few beers and just kicked back.
"It was pretty tame and didn't get out of hand."
Joass also answered the million-dollar question - had Baker showered before the photo was taken?
"No, no he didn't, but it was good times and good laughs for the boys."
Newshub.
