Chiefs and North Harbour star Shaun Stevenson finally has a call-up for the two-match All Blacks XV tour of Europe, with six players named to boost their injury and defection-hit ranks.
The second-string trip to face Ireland A and Barbarians has already been plundered by All Blacks selectors to make up numbers against Japan at Tokyo this week, leaving Leon MacDonald's shorthanded in several positions.
With injuries also taking a toll, that squad has now been bolstered, with Stevenson - perhaps the glaring original omission - thrown a lifeline by the selectors. The outstanding outside back has been a standout performer at every level this year - with Harbour in the National Provincial Championship, the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific and the Māori All Blacks against Ireland.
Fears for his NZ rugby future have only heightened, since he admitted discussing a code switch with NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett and the expansion Dolphins club.
"It is an option after 2023," he told Sky Sports' Aotearoa Rugby Pod. It will be one of those things for me where I feel like my skillset would suit it and playing touch, tag back in the school days - it's similar to that.
"It's just one of those things that quite a few boys want to give it a crack, they talk about it, but never do... but never say never."
Props Pouri Rakete-Stones and Tevita Mafileo, hooker Tyrone Thompson, halfback Cortez Ratima and first-five Josh Ioane have also been summoned to the squad on the eve of their departure.
National team coach Ian Foster was forced to dip into the All Blacks XV ranks, when his side were hit by defections, as they prepared to leave for Japan.
All three Barrett Brothers - Beauden, Scott and Jordie - remained home to mourn the death of their grandmother, veteran lock Sam Whitelock and winger Will Jordan suffered ear infections, while halfback Folau Fakatava ruptured a knee ligament and will miss the entire northern tour.
More recently, wing Leicester Fainga'anuku also returned home for family reasons.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu, halfback Brad Weber, winger Mark Telea and utility Damian McKenzie were called into the All Blacks, while hooker Asafo Aumua joined them, as cover for Dane Coles' niggly calf.
The All Blacks XV have suffered their own injury toll, with props Oli Jager and Angus Ta'avao, hooker George Bell and first-five Bryn Gatland unavailable from the group originally named.
The All Blacks XV will face Ireland A on November 5 (NZ time) and Barbarians on November 13.
The full squad is...
Props - Finlay Brewis, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Aidan Ross, Tamaiti Williams, Tevita Mafileo
Hookers - Brodie McAlister, Tyrone Thompson
Locks - Josh Dickson, Zach Gallagher
Loose forwrds - Dominic Gardiner, Billy Harmon, Luke Jacobson, Christian Lio-Willie, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u
Halfbacks - TJ Perenara, Cortez Ratima, Cam Roigard
First-five - Josh Ioane
Midfield - Levi Aumua, Bryce Heem, Alex Nankivell, Bailyn Sullivan
Outside backs - AJ Lam, Ruben Love, Shaun Stevenson
Join us at 6:50pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Japan test
