Chiefs youngsters Cortez Ratima and Wallace Sititi were shocked to hear their names called as All Blacks for the first time.
Emotions were raw watching Scott Robertson's first squad announcement as coach, after the pair weren't even given a warning phone call.
Ratima and Sititi are still adjusting to their international promotion, and you can understand why, with the pair unaware of what was about to unfold.
"Never got a phone call, man, so I was just going in blind," reflected Ratima.
Named in alphabetical order, they were made to wait.
"So many 'P's in the team, I was like listening, listening," he said.
"I just remember going into a state of shock," reflected Sititi.
Few would have predicted this dream at the start of the year, but that quickly changed, with Ratima establishing himself as one of the form halfbacks in Super Rugby Pacific.
"His energy around the ball, support play, in and out fast," said All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen. "Really excited to have Cortez in the group."
Meanwhile, No.8 Sititi became impossible to ignore, after inspiring the Chiefs to victory in their semi-final win over the Hurricanes.
"He owned it," insisted Robertson. "We're really really impressed, hence he's picked."
Sititi will continue a family legacy of international rugby, with father Semo played 59 tests for Manu Samoa.
"He shed a few tears," said Sititi Jr. "I havent seen him cry in a long time.
"He just told me that this is the easy part, getting in, and the hard part is staying in there."
At just 21 and 23, Sititi and Ratima may have long careers in the black jersey.
