All Blacks: Mathewson becomes a dad - and gets a test start too

Alby Mathewson fends off Rocky Elsom of the Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images

First child and a first test start for the All Blacks - it was some weekend for halfback Alby Mathewson.

The 24-year-old flew home from Christchurch to Wellington on Friday to be with his partner Cara and early that night, the pair became proud parents of son Nixon.

Early Saturday, Mathewson flew back to join the All Blacks and later that night, after 76 minutes of anxiety on the reserves bench, Mathewson got the call to replace Piri Weepu.

"I was worried I was not going to get a run," said Mathewson who had played a tour game for the All Blacks against Munster in 2008.

He willed Weepu to kick a long penalty so the coaches would send him on earlier on Saturday. The 67th minute kick failed so Mathewson rode the pine some more until the call came.

Now he has to wait again to see if he will travel to South Africa if Jimmy Cowan does not recover from his rib cartilage problem.

"I don't know what is going to happen but I would like to play some rugby," he said.

Mathewson has only played 40 minutes in Wellington since the end of his strong Super 14 campaign with the Blues.

"I've been in and out of squads and not sure what's happening. It is frustrating."

All Black coach Graham Henry thought his side was starting to show some effects of playing seven tests in nine weeks and they needed to be careful with their workload before their next test in a fortnight in Soweto.