Herald reporter Heath Moore is spending five weeks in a campervan following the fans following the Lions tour.
Rugby fans dream of touring abroad and supporting their team only to get a shock call-up to the squad.
So imagine finding out you're going to be taking on Blues star andex-All Black centre Rene Ranger.
That's what happened to two touring British & Irish Lions fans.
Scotsmen Liam Brawls, 21, and Fraser Morton, 20, who came to New Zealand to follow the British & Irish Lions, were asked to don the jersey for Whangarei club side Hikurangi.
Here for four months, the Scots stumbled across the opportunity after being billeted by locals Bobby McGee and Jude Thompson.
The duo have played twice and will now mobilise with the Red Army fans travelling the country.
Their opportunity to take on Ranger, who scored a try in last night's historic Blues v Reds clash in Samoa, came in a game against Wellsford and had them buzzing.
"He never ran near me, I think he was scared of us Scots," Brawls jokes. "It was an experience I'll never forget."
The Northland community welcomed the Scots with open arms, with Morton stating Kiwis are one of the friendliest people in the world.
"The people here are so much better compared to back home. Everyone is so friendly," he said.
"It is wild how friendly everyone is over here. Back home you couldn't just roll in and meet different people."
On tour for the Lions, Liam Brawls and Fraser Morton soon found themselves on the paddock for Hikurangi Rugby Club. Photo / Heath Moore
After posting a 67-5 win over Mid Western last night, Hikurangi embraced their new Scottish teammates with a rendition of Tutira Mai Nga Iwi.
Morton says there's a difference in skills and style between rugby here and in Scotland.
"Basic handling skills are better over here compared to back home. It's New Zealand's natural game. That's the key difference I've noticed."
The boys' host and club barman Bobby McGee says the duo fitted into the community with ease but their food bill is costing an arm and a leg.
"We've been through half a cow, two pigs and a sack of potatoes," he laughed. "They don't eat veges, but they are good old boys. They're just like every Kiwi lad."
The duo are part of a player exchange with Scottish club Newtown Stewart, using their contacts to get themselves across to New Zealand and set up ready for their Lions holiday.
Morton and Brawls' trip is self-funded, costing the pair an estimated $10,000 each. But Brawls say it is money well spent.
"We'll here for just four months and it's something we'll never get to do again, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
The men, from the south-west of Scotland, will watch the Lions' games against the Provincial Barbarians, Blues, Crusaders and Highlanders games before making their way back up the country.
Following their South Island stint Brawls and Morton will adopt the Kiwi "go with the flow" attitude and see where their travels take them before finishing up back in Northland.
Who will win the Test series between the All Blacks and the British Lions? Morton couldn't be swayed from backing his boys in red predicting a 2-1 series win to the Lions.
As for Brawls? "In all seriousness the All Blacks will get up, but the Lions will pinch a game in a tight series, that's the tip."
