Players get in on the action with Shortland Street

Actress Beth Allen with (from left) Anthony Boric, Keven Mealamu and Jerome Kaino during a break in filming. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Three All Blacks players got to show off their acting skills - or lack of - on the set of Shortland Street.

Keven Mealamu, Anthony Boric and Jerome Kaino were at South Pacific Pictures in West Auckland yesterday, taking part in an episode acknowledging the Rugby World Cup.

The episode is due to screen on Friday, September 9, the night of the opening tournament match between the All Blacks and Tonga at Eden Park.

The script has the men turning up to Shortland St Hospital on their way to the game. There is a small dispute between the players and one of the doctors, after the All Blacks park their vehicle in her parking space and she blocks them in with her car.

The players have to move her vehicle by force and they are shown lifting the vehicle out of the way - with the help of a hydraulics machine not seen by viewers.

"Crouch, touch, pause, engage," they call out, before lifting.

Kaino showed off how excited he was about the whole thing when he asked if he could tweet about it. He later wrote on Twitter: "Chilling with the crew at [Shortland St] trying to act, making a fool of myself here."

Mealamu chatted happily with members of the cast, but seemed slightly embarrassed when asked if he was a fan.

"To be honest, my family watch it every night. Me and my wife, we love it," he said.

Boric, who invited his grandparents Gloria and Frank Marinovich to the set, said his family were huge fans.

He said he was quite nervous being on the set, but was having fun.

"I was a little excited when I found out. We've only done commercials and small things like that, but this is my debut in acting."