Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa'i admits he was surprised to be included in the 35-man All Blacks squad but feels it's the best Father's Day gift he could've given his dad.
On Sunday, Vaa'i was one of seven new names selected by Ian Foster and the 20-year-old is the least experienced of those with just five Super Rugby games to his name.
But Foster says the Taranaki representative has been on his radar for some time and believes his selection is warranted.
"This is a dream come true," Vaa'i told Newshub. "Growing up as a kid in New Zealand, you always wanted to be an All Black so this is very special.
"Today is Father's Day so it's probably the best gift I've given my dad. I told my parents and they burst into tears, I couldn't hear what they were saying but there were tears.
"I know there is stuff going on around the world, but 2020 isn't a bad year for me I guess."
All Blacks captain and Chiefs teammate Sam Cane has been impressed with the rise of Vaa'i during the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
"I'm stoked for him, after talking to the coaches I had an incentive that they liked him," Cane told Newshub.
"I didn't want to ask and put them on the spot, but he's had a fantastic season and he has a bright future.
"A lot of the things he's been doing have helped him get here. He's a smart guy, a quick learner and he's a natural footballer."
For Foster, he has no plans to rush Vaa'i into the All Blacks starting side but knows he is one for the future.
"I've seen him over the last 18 months through the U20 program and Taranaki," Foster told Newshub.
"He gets the set-piece done efficiently, he knows when to get into the right positions, and when he develops we have the potential to have a physically smart player.
"I know he didn't play all the time, but that's a credit to the Chiefs team, but we think he's ready for the All Blacks environment."
Vaa'i was one of two uncapped locks named in the All Blacks team alongside Quentin Stange.
He said he wants to use the time to learn as much as possible.
"There are so many things going through my head," Vaa'i says. "So many thank yous I have to do today, especially my family.
"I just want to take the opportunity to learn from Paddy [Tuipulotu] and Sam [Whitelock] and I'm going to be a big sponge and soak it all in."
The All Blacks currently have no tests scheduled in the coming months, although they were working towards plans for a four-test Bledisloe Cup series against Australia.
