The endless smiles belonged to Warwick and Tracy Taylor last year as they glided around Wellington on the afternoon of son Tom's test debut.
They were nailed for television interviews outside a bookshop where Jonah Lomu was signing his latest work and met stacks of well wishers after their hurried
early morning flight from Christchurch. They had even contemplated driving and crossing Cook St on a ferry if flights were booked.
Warwick got the news about his son, late, because he was out of phone range in the hills near Christchurch with a school tramping party. Tom had been called up when Daniel Carter, Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett all fell to injury and the All Blacks needed a composed goal kicking five eighths to cover against the Wallabies.
So 30 years after his test debut, Warwick's son felt the same sporting euphoria. Finding a more grounded group of people is a mission.
Warwick Taylor was unflagging as a second five eighths where he decided his future lay in the game once he shifted south to study physical education.
