All Blacks fullback Stephen Perofeta admits his first start in the black jersey was an "eye-opening" experience in their narrow win over Japan on Saturday.
Perofeta has been a regular feature in coach Ian Foster's squads this season but has seen limited game time with regular fullback Jordie Barrett occupying the space.
With just 60 seconds of test match rugby behind him, he started against the Brave Blossoms in a match few struggled to cement their positions.
Perofeta admits he was off the pace early on but hopes he will get another opportunity on New Zealand's northern tour.
"It was test match footy," he told Sky Sport after the test. "The first taste was just the speed of it, you've got to react at a different speed.
"It was definitely an eye-opener for me, I enjoyed it though, it was definitely a test, and it wasn't the prettiest win, but we got the win.
"We would do one good thing, and then probably couldn't quite stack it and back it up, which we'll look at this week and look to improve in the coming weeks.
"We knew Japan would come back and they wouldn't go down without a fight - it was a tough contest.
"I thought I did alright, I was able to get clear and just focus on how I could contribute to the team tonight.
"Probably just a little slow off the mark but the first starting test - it was definitely an eye-opener but I enjoyed the most of it.
"For me, it's about how I can grow and improve on this performance, playing 80 at test-match level because it's a step up.
"Definitely excited by the opportunity in the coming weeks whether or not I get to play again.
Perofeta is no stranger to playing in front of big crowds, having played in the Super Rugby final in front of a packed-out Eden Park earlier this year.
But he admits running out to sold-out Japan National Stadium was a unique experience in its own right.
"Very special," Perofeta said. "To be honest, for 65,000, it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be, but that's the Japanese for you, they have a lot of respect.
"Even when the kickers were kicking, you could hear a pin drop in the way they were so silent. They love the game as much as we do, they're passionate supporters and very blessed to play in front of a Japanese crowd."
