Nehe Milner-Skudder is struggling to contain his excitement over being part of a reshuffled All Blacks team to face Argentina in Nelson on Saturday night.
Milner-Skudder has been named to start on the right wing in his first test in 11 months, after dislocating his right shoulder against the Springboks in Cape Town.
It was the 27-year-old's second major shoulder injury.
"It's been another rollercoaster the last year or so," Milner-Skudder said.
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"When they read the team out and my name was featured, I was pretty pumped and had a big smile on my face. I'm bloody excited."
His first shoulder injury happened on Super Rugby duty for the Hurricanes, ruling him out for most of 2016, before he broke bones in his foot early last year.
He then made his return to the All Blacks for the 2017 Rugby Championship and played in three tests, before injuring his shoulder again at Newlands, when he dived on a loose ball.
"Probably the second time round was a little bit harder in terms of 'oh bugger, here we go again'," he said.
"But at the same time, using the experiences and what I went through the first time round sort of helped, and my mindset was the biggest thing I had to deal with and overcome.
"It was just a matter of staying positive and that paid off in a lot of ways. Just getting to be back in this environment and to get a crack this weekend, it's such a good feeling to know all that hard work and those tough times, you get through them and come out the other end."
All Blacks and Hurricanes teammate Ardie Savea praised the outside back for staying positive, and fighting his way back into the national side.
"Nehe's probably the most professional guy I've met," he said. "Every time I've seen him, he's always in the gym doing his rehab.
"After trainings, he's in there doing his rehab. "Guys like that, you look to for inspiration."
The test at Trafalgar Park will be Milner-Skudder's 12th for the All Blacks.
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