A smart inside job ... that's one way of describing Hawke's Bay Magpies and New Zealand Maori first five-eighth Ihaia West's Blues call-up.
Having been part of the Chiefs wider training group last summer and having played for the Hurricanes Development team last month, Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan and his staff could grill West for plenty of info on franchises the Blues have yet to play this season.
In fact, West, 22, could almost charge extra for his call-up with the info he could pass on.
"Yes, three different teams in the same year ... not many players could say they've done that," West said with a laugh.
A 2012 New Zealand under-20s player, West arrived in Auckland yesterday as a replacement for Counties-Manukau pivot Baden Kerr who has been ruled out for the season after fracturing fingers.
"It's a pretty awesome opportunity. I just can't wait to get into training and meet the coaching staff and management team," West said last night.
"Obviously there are a few other players in the Blues camp who can play 10 like Simon Hickey, Chris Noakes, Piri Weepu and Benji Marshall. I'm looking forward to learning heaps off Sir John Kirwan and Sir Graham Henry and hopefully I'll put my best foot forward if I get the opportunity to play."
He will miss the Hurricanes development side's final two games of the season. West will miss the remainder of the club season but pointed out Havelock North have a handy replacement in Ethan Bradey who captured player-of-the-match honours in the villagers 26-13 win against Maddison Trophy holders Napier Technical on Saturday.
"I'm sure Ethan, who has came out of school rugby, will learn plenty playing inside his brother Adam," West added.
Kirwan said although he was disappointed to lose a player of Kerr's quality, he welcomed the talented West to the fold.
"I'm really happy to have Ihaia involved. We looked at him long and hard pre-season and he was very much part of our thoughts," Kirwan said.
"We just decided to go internally a little bit more with what we had in picking Simon Hickey, so with Baden unfortunately dropping out it's great for us to have Ihaia in and he's here for the rest of the season and we're excited about it.
"He's a naturally attacking 10 and he brings a bit of X-factor so that excites me. I think he can bring another dimension to the game."
Magpies and All Black prop Ben Franks is one of four injury concerns the Canes have in the buildup to Friday night's clash with the Blues in the capital. Franks has yet to recover from his groin injury collected in the April 5 win against the Bulls in Napier. Midfield back Tim Bateman and halfback Chris Smylie have shoulder and calf injuries, respectively, and flanker Brad Shields took a knock at training yesterday.
Talk suggesting former Hawke's Bay Magpies co-coaches Peter Russell and Tom Coventry could be the Hurricanes co-coaches next year was hushed by Coventry yesterday. While Russell, who will be back after his stint with the Newcastle Falcons, is expected to be among the applicants for the job to be vacated by Canes head coach Mark Hammett at the end of the season; Coventry won't be leaving the Chiefs.
Coventry, who assisted Russell with the coaching of the Magpies from 2007-2011, was reported at the weekend to be applying for Hammett's job.
"My interest in the job has been blown out of proportion. I considered applying but decided I wouldn't because of family reasons and other aspects of my life," Coventry said.
"My main focus on the coaching front is my assistant role at the Chiefs this season and again next year."
He agreed reuniting with Russell as co-coaches at the Hurricanes would have been good for "nostalgic reasons."
The Chiefs coaching staff, headed by three-time Under-20 World Cup-winning coach Dave Rennie and assistant coaches Coventry, former All Black coach Wayne Smith and former New Zealand Under-20s skills coach Andrew Strawbridge, is regarded internationally as the best in Super Rugby.
The Chiefs host the Crusaders in Hamilton on Saturday night and Coventry said after mixed games to date (good starts and poor finishes and poor starts and good finishes) they are still hunting the perfect game.