Anyone tracing the far-fetched evolution of rugby's hooker position can only chuckle at how important they have become in the modern game.
Not quite big enough to be a prop, not quite fast enough to be a loose forward, for the longest time, their most important role was simply securing possession at scrums... and occasionally stealing it off the opposition feed.
More recently, they've been charged with throwing the ball into lineouts - a tricky enough task, as competing forwards are thrown high into the air.
Previously, hooker were most likely to score by lurking out on the flanks, probably catching their breath a few phases behind play. Yes, that's you, Sean Fitzpatrick.
But with the trend towards attacking lineouts and mauls close to the goal-line, wearers of the No.2 jersey have become unlikely scoring machines, as they fall over the tryline at the back of a dominant forward pack.
While flashy wingers used to take all the glory from the hard grind done up front, these days, forwards are less likely to spread the love, with hookers emerging as unlikely cult heroes.
All Blacks veteran philosopher Dane Coles chuckles at the unexpected development in his repertoire.
"I wouldn't say no to a try," he insists.
On Sunday, Coles emerged as the two-try hero of New Zealand's unconvincing 47-9 win over Italy in Rome, nailing his lineout throw and riding momentum across the line.
After he left the contest in the 52nd minute, understudy Asafo Aumua duplicated the feat in identical fashion.
When Coles crossed for his first five-pointer, the All Blacks were just 7-0 up after an error-ridden half hour that must have had the 14th-ranked Azzurri dreaming of their first-ever win over the world's top-ranked side.
New Zealand needed a bread-and-butter play and they dialled Coles' number.
"It's funny, because the [South] Africans used to do it a bit," he reflects. "Malcolm Marx scored about 30 tries for the Lions one year and we went from doing nothing to getting all the tries - happy days.
"I think it's just the way it is. It's a theme among the NZ Super teams and we've just carried on that trend.
"Sometimes, you see teams that go off the top of the lineout and want to play, but I think it's how the game is going. Yesterday was a good time for us to roll up our sleeves and do a bit of work, and get some points on the board."
Spotlight will likely fall on the forwards again this week against Ireland, where former All Blacks prop Greg Feek coached the Irish scrum during their historic victories over New Zealand in 2016 and 2018, but now returns with his native team.
"I had a little speak to him at the airport about scrum stuff," says Coles. "I asked who the Irish forward coach was and he said Paul O'Connell, the great Irish lock, who's a wiz on lineouts.
"I used to love watching that guy [Feek] play and once we do a bit of footage over the week, we'll definitely be picking his brain, because he spent a lot of time in the environment.
"It'll be extra special for Feeky, coming back here as an All Blacks scrum coach."
Join us at 4am Sunday for live updates of the All Blacks v Ireland test
