The endless smiles belonged to Warwick and Tracy Taylor last year as they glided around Wellington on the afternoon of son Tom's test debut.
They were nailed for television interviews outside a bookshop where Jonah Lomu was signing his latest work and met stacks of well wishers after their hurried early morning flight from Christchurch. They had even contemplated driving and crossing Cook St on a ferry if flights were booked.
Warwick got the news about his son, late, because he was out of phone range in the hills near Christchurch with a school tramping party. Tom had been called up when Daniel Carter, Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett all fell to injury and the All Blacks needed a composed goal kicking five eighths to cover against the Wallabies.
So 30 years after his test debut, Warwick's son felt the same sporting euphoria. Finding a more grounded group of people is a mission.
Warwick Taylor was unflagging as a second five eighths where he decided his future lay in the game once he shifted south to study physical education.
There were some struggles with injury then the aftermath of the Cavaliers tour when he took the board of governors at his school to court because they wanted to dismiss him.
Taylor won that debate and the next year was picked for the '87 World Cup when the Fox, Taylor, Stanley combination of unselfish efficiency welded the team together.
"We played that final for all the All Blacks who had gone before," was Taylor's typical thoughtful reaction.
Statistics
Date of birth: 11 March 1960
Position: Second five-eighth
Test debut: 4 June 1983 v British & Irish Lions at Christchurch
Last test: 11 June 1988 v Wales at Auckland
Matches: 40
Tests: 24
Province: Canterbury
Test tries: 5
Test points: 20