Ardie Savea says leading the All Blacks haka will be a dream come dream, as he prepares for his maiden outing as test skipper against Australia in the third Bledisloe Cup test on Sunday.
With Sam Cane, Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Dane Coles unavailable for the All Blacks' Rugby Championship campaign in Australia, Savea, 27, has been handed the reins, starting at Perth's Optus Stadium.
With the captaincy, Savea will also stand at the front of the All Blacks haka, standing on his own at the point of the 'tooth' to face the Wallabies.
At the All Blacks' final training run for Sunday's test, Savea has spoken about the realisation he'd lead the haka for the first time.
"It's something you kind of only dream about when you're a kid," he says. "I had some best mates ask me 'Ards, does that mean you're at the front of the haka?'
"It's not much, because there's 23 of us on the field and I'm just one of them, but those are the moments you kind of dream of as a kid.
"I'm just happy and grateful that mum and dad will be watching on the TV - the family, the friends, watching the All Blacks, and seeing their son go out and lead.
"It'll be awesome."
Savea also revealed messages from All Blacks of the past, congratulating the flanker on his rise to the role of captain.
"[There were] a few people I really looked up to coming through my rugby journey," he adds.
"I had the likes of Ma'a Nonu message me. Even though we're good mates, he was always a hero to me.
"Sonny Bill [Williams], Keven Mealamu, a few Pacific Island brothers that I really looked up to, and tried to follow in their footsteps... just really grateful for them paving the way for us, getting a message of support and just wishing us good luck as a team.
"That kind of hit home, it was pretty special."
Join us at 6pm Sunday for live updates of the third All Blacks v Wallabies Bledisloe Cup test
