All Blacks newcomer Josh Lord won't have to look far for mentorship ahead of his first tour, with hooker Dane Coles saying the young lock will be welcomed into the group with open arms.
Taranaki and Chiefs lock Lord, 20, was a shock call-up for the All Blacks' northern tour - a bolter in every sense of the word - picked after a series of impressive displays in the NPC and boasting just a handful of Super Rugby appearances.
But with the pair of Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu having returned home early before the All Blacks depart for the northern hemisphere and the US, Lord is almost certain to make his test debut on the end of year tour.
Along with Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa'i and the returning Sam Whitelock, Lord is one of only four second rowers heading north with the All Blacks, who are likely to rotate for tests against USA, Wales, Italy, Ireland and France.
And if entering the All Blacks' camp wasn't intimidating enough for a man fresh out of his teens, Lord will be travelling with Coles, Whitelock and captain Sam Cane - three of the All Blacks' key leaders - as well as Shannon Frizell.
Speaking ahead of the players' departure though, Coles assures that Lord is being welcomed into the group.
"He's a good lad, he's been going through all his kit, so he's a pretty happy man," Coles says.
"Like any new fella, we'll get round him, show him what the All Blacks are all about, and make sure they feel comfortable, make sure they enjoy this experience.
"Your first tour is going to be one that you remember for a lifetime, we'll make sure it's a memorable one for him.
"It'll be a proud day if he gets the chance to put on the black jersey, but [I'm] pretty keen to spend a bit of time with him, see how he goes and see what makes him tick."
One group of players who don't need Coles' mentoring though is the hooking combination of Samisoni Taukei'aho, and Asafo Aumua.
With Coles having missed the Australian-based Rugby Championship with a calf injury, the All Blacks have found two very able deputies in the young hookers, both serving as back up to Codie Taylor.
But with Coles now having to re-establish himself in the No. 2 jersey's pecking order, the 34-year-old jokes that he'll be the one needing mentoring.
"Soni [Taukei'aho] and Saf [Aumua] have, I suppose, cemented themselves as All Blacks," Coles adds.
"It's been awesome to see. As much as I'm on the couch and can't do anything, it's been good for All Black rugby and New Zealand rugby to see a couple of hookers come along and put pressure on Codie - and Codie's taken his game to another level as well.
"[There's been] no texters, the new generation knows it all. I'll give advice when I can, but we've got a good relationship.
"I'll be picking their brains once I'm in the environment to see where I can get up to scratch and be helped out."
The five travelling All Blacks will link up with the rest of the side in the US, before their test against the Eagles on October 24 in Washington.
