Before he packs down in an All Blacks jersey for the first time, baby-faced prop Ethan de Groot wants to debunk the rumours around his provocative tattoo.
"We heard it was a snowflake," suggests one media wag. "Wouldn't work for a prop to be a snowflake."
In recent years, that term has taken on a derogatory meaning that seeks to define a generation viewed as less resilient and more prone to insult than their predecessors.
De Groot laughs off the inference.
"This is a Viking compass," he claims, rubbing the ink job on his arm. "I just thought it was cool.
"It kind of looks like a snowflake... but I'm definitely not a snowflake."
Veteran front-row colleague Codie Taylor isn't so sure.
"Could be a new nickname, though."
The Highlanders youngster has been named for an international debut off the bench against Fiji in Dunedin on Saturday, as coach Ian Foster continues to roll out fresh blood against South Pacific opponents to kick off the All Blacks' 2021 campaign.
During his first taste of Super Rugby, de Groot showed himself to be anything but a delicate wisp of frozen water, leaving front-row rivals grovelling in his wake in a season highlighted by a brace of tries against NSW Waratahs, en route to the Trans Tasman final.
"From what I've seen in Super Rugby, he gets around the park well, he's strong and causes a bit of havoc," says Taylor. "If he gets out there and enjoys himself, he'll do a lot of the same, come Saturday night."
De Groot still seems a little bemused by his rapid rise through the ranks, no doubt accelerated by the injury absences of battle-hardened veterans Joe Moody and Ofa Tuungafasi.
"Definitely not, I didn't think I'd be getting selected," he says. "It is a bit of a shock.
"At the start of the year, I had goals to play five games for the Highlanders, but everything just happened.
"It's an unreal feeling. I'm stoked to put that black jersey on for the first time on a home track."
Hailing from the Southland town of Gore, de Groot graduated through the Southland NPC team into the Highlanders, where he quickly became the cornerstone of the scrum.
One of his biggest influences is the man named to captain the All Blacks for the first time at Forsyth Barr Stadium - halfback Aaron Smith.
"At the Highlanders, when I got named, he took me under his wing and showed me the ropes," says de Groot. "He just told me to be myself and grab the opportunities with both hands."
His advice for other smalltown kids dreaming of an All Blacks call-up: "Just keep chipping away, just chase your dreams and work hard."
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Fiji test
