Brendon Edmonds.
Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby prop Brendon Edmonds is contemplating a late night on Friday.
Naturally Edmonds is hoping for a night of celebration after the Magpies take on the Manawatu Turbos in the ITM Cup Championship final at Palmerston North's FMG Stadium.
But Edmonds, 23, also intends to sneak in some haka lessons from fellow Magpies and New Zealand Maori teammates Ihaia West and Ash Dixon.
While first five-eighth West and hooker Dixon played for the Maori team last year, Edmonds was one of 11 newcomers named in the team yesterday to play two matches against Japan, the first in Kobe on November 1 and the second in Tokyo on November 8.
"Hopefully Ash and Ihaia are good teachers," Edmonds replied when quizzed on his knowledge of the Maori All Blacks haka Timatanga.
"I was pretty stoked to hear my name read out.
"The old man [Stephen Edmonds] was chuffed and I've had lots of congratulations calls," Edmonds said.
The 2014 Hurricane, who will play for the Highlanders next year, agreed his versatility was a key factor in his selection. This season Edmonds has regularly started games in his preferred loosehead role and then finished them at tighthead.
On Friday night he could get a stint scrummaging against Turbos loosehead Chris Eves who is also in the Maori team. Edmonds noted all four Maori props can play both sides of the scrum.
"I'll just do whatever is best for the team and make the most of what opportunities I get," Edmonds said.
"Obviously we've got a pretty big game on Friday night to focus on and then I can start thinking about Japan."
Magpies head coach Craig Philpott agreed Edmonds had made massive progress on both sides of the scrum this season.
"Brendon has been very destructive when he has switched to the tighthead role," Philpott said.
The Maori All Blacks, who will be captained by Taranaki centre Charlie Ngatai, assemble in Auckland on Sunday and travel to Japan on Monday.
Their third match which was to be against the Asia Pacific Dragons in Singapore was cancelled because of poor pitch conditions.
Philpott is thrilled to have three players selected in the Maori All Blacks for the second consecutive year.
"We've got two All Blacks [Ben Franks and Israel Dagg], three Maori All Blacks, at least 13 Super players and another three pending ... that's the Magpies best haul since Super Rugby began in 1996," Philpott said.
With the Ranfurly Shield locked up for the summer, the ITM Cup Championship trophy, which the Magpies last won in 2011, would be a fitting finale to a memorable year.
Philpott confirmed fullback Richard Buckman will miss the final witha knee injury suffered in the semifinal win against Northland.
The Magpies confirmed Super players are:
Blues: Brendon O'Connor, Ihaia West; Chiefs: Michael Allardice, Andrew Horrell; Crusaders: Israel Dagg, Robbie Fruean, Ged Robinson; Highlanders: Brendon Edmonds, Ash Dixon, Richard Buckman, Gareth Evans; Hurricanes: Ben Franks, Geoff Cridge.
Full Squad:
• Hookers: Joe Royal (Bay of Plenty), Ash Dixon (Hawke's Bay), Codie Taylor* (Canterbury)
• Props: Chris Eves (Manawatu), Mike Kainga* (Bay of Plenty), Nicholas Barrett (Auckland), Brendon Edmonds* (Hawke's Bay)
• Lock: Tom Franklin* (Otago), Joseph Wheeler (Tasman)
• Loose forwards: Shane Christie (vc) (Tasman), Blade Thomson (Taranaki), Liam Squire (Tasman), Elliot Dixon (Southland), Sean Polwart* (Auckland), Dan Pryor* (Northland)
• Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park (Taranaki), Chris Smylie (Taranaki)
• First five-eighths: Ihaia West (Hawke's Bay), Marty McKenzie* (Taranaki)
• Midfield backs: Jason Emery* (Manawatu), Charlie Ngatai (c) (Taranaki), James Lowe* (Tasman)
• Outside backs: Matt Proctor (Wellington), Kurt Baker (Taranaki), Joe Webber* (Waikato), Nehe Milner-Skudder* (Manawatu), Robbie Robinson (North Harbour)
*not capped