Rugby: Hames joins All Blacks training camp

Kane Hames, pictured scoring his memorable try for the Highlanders against the Sharks, has been called into the All Blacks training camp at North Harbour. Photo / Getty Images

The rapid rise of Bay of Plenty and Highlanders prop Kane Hames continues. Hames is joining the All Blacks training camp being held at North Harbour today and tomorrow.

In the last 12 months Hames has gone from playing club rugby for Tauranga Sports to making his debuts for the Steamers, Maori All Blacks and Highlanders.

Now he is part of the All Blacks wider selection plans.

But the genial Hames, 25, is taking it all in his stride. He is a firm believer that if you work hard and have enough faith, then anything is possible. He hopes to learn as much as he can from the All Blacks scrum doctor Mike Cron.

"For me personally, I am not looking too much about impressing, although I would like to impress, but if anything I am hoping to learn quite a lot," Hames said. "I know it is only a couple of days but it is still a cool thing to do."

The Highlanders season was memorable for Hames, who established himself as the team's number one ranked loosehead prop.

"It has been an awesome year. They are a good bunch of boys down there and we have been more successful than Highlanders teams in the past. I finished the year with 16 games and I think I played an average of 72 minutes, so I got plenty of time and plenty of opportunities and loved it all I guess.

"Even living in Dunedin worked out well. It was a good city to be in but bloody cold. I always found myself keeping busy. It is almost as if I went back to my (Bay of Plenty) rugby development officer job, helping out at schools and coaching teams. I miss my old job and I miss the people I made connections with."

The Highlanders lost 31-27 to the Sharks in Durban on July 20, in their first playoffs game for 12 years. Hames scored one of the tries of the competition that started deep in Highlanders territory.

"I only remember the last bit when I got the ball," he said. "That's because when Ben Smith taps it right at the beginning, we had just finished a big maul and I'm tired and walking all the way up the field, while they are doing all these really skilful tricks.

"Next thing I know I have the ball passed to me and I score. I'm not sure I have the focus to be a winger."

Hames will join up with the Steamers squad at their Mount Maunganui base next week.