Kane Hames is living the rugby dream

TOP CLASS: Kane Hames, pictured scoring for Maori All Blacks v USA last year, will start at loosehead prop for the Chiefs against the Hurricanes tonight. PHOTO: Getty Images

Kane Hames has come a long way in his career since he was coaching kids as a Rugby Development Officer with the Bay of Plenty union.

The 28-year-old Trident College old boy has gone on to play for Bay of Plenty, Tasman, the Highlanders and Chiefs plus at international level for the Maori All Blacks and All Blacks.

The late-bloomer is now first choice, starting loosehead prop for the Chiefs. His powerhouse scrummaging against much vaunted Blues tighthead Sione Mafileo was a key factor in his team's early dominance last Friday.

Hames is not one to get carried away by his success over the last two seasons but he is immensely proud of what he has achieved.

"I think all the time about the amazing journey. I think back to heaps of moments from when I was a young,' he said.

"There were plenty of moments when I was unsure where I was going to end up and plenty of moments when the work I was putting in was coming together."

The impending arrival of the British and Irish Lions for their first tour here in 12 years is bubbling away below the surface for every New Zealand Super Rugby player.

But Hames says he cannot afford to be side-tracked from his core role at the heart of the Chiefs pack with so many tough local derbies to start the 2017 campaign.

"You do have to take it week by week because you have whoever you are playing this week and as long as you are stringing weeks of good preparation together good things tend to happen out of that.

"I had to remind myself the other day that the Lions are coming up in June but all my focus has been on the Blues last week and Hurricanes."

The lack of consistency in rulings by referees at scrum time is a constant source of frustration for coaches, commentators and fans.

But it is even worse for guys like Hames at the centre of it all.

"I think scrums are about going forwards or if you are getting dominated you are going backwards. I think a referee should always reward people going forward," Hames said.

"If someone turns in and makes a scrum go sideways then for sure you should be penalised but if you are going backwards and go down or stand up, then the team going forward should be rewarded.

"Either way you will always see a bemused look on my face if I get penalised. We as a pack like to go forward and we, hopefully, get rewarded for that."

Tonight the Chiefs host defending champions the Hurricanes in Hamilton as they look for their third straight win.

Hames says the excitement is there in the team this week.

"There is a whole lot of motivation to do well and perform well at home for sure."