As modern-day All Black marvels go, Shannon Frizell, who will make his test debut against France on Saturday, is virtually in a category of his own.
He only took up rugby in his final year at school in Tonga. Before that he was a football goalkeeper and represented his countryat age-grade level before switching codes and making the Tonga under-20s rugby team, for whom he played four times.
Frizell, whose brother Tyson is a Kangaroos league representative who will play for New South Wales in the State of Origin game against Queensland on Sunday, is a genuine rarity in the New Zealand game in that he hasn't come through any academy system or any age group team here.
He was a bolter in the original squad for the French series – he said in his first interview a week or so afterwards that he still couldn't believe he was included in the group of 33 - and he was viewed as a project but now he finds himself starting alongside fellow loose forwards Luke Whitelock and Ardie Savea under the roof in Dunedin.
After signing a development contract with Tasman two years ago, the now 24-year-old has played only 10 games for the Highlanders – coming to the attention of most people when he scored a hat-trick of tries against the Blues at Eden Park this season – but such is the faith held in him by the All Blacks selectors following the injuries to Liam Squire and Vaea Fifita that he has been rocketed straight into the starting line-up.
Asked today what his biggest challenge was this week, the painfully shy Frizell replied: "Facing the media", but brother Tyson, 26, who grew up in Australia while Shannon grew up in Tonga has probably given him some valuable advice when he told his younger brother: "Just play, don't worry about the stuff happening on the outside."
Shannon Frizell at All Blacks training. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The selectors would have liked a more gradual introduction to the test arena for Frizell, but coach Steve Hansen said the blindside flanker had the physical ability to cope – he just had to believe in himself.
"We like to take our time with some of them and he's probably one of the guys we would have taken a bit of time with," Hansen said. "Having said that, we're pretty excited about him getting the opportunity. He's a great athlete and he's proven over the past three weeks that he's good enough to be in this class and group of people."
Frizell is one of four All Black test debutants named for the third test against a French team which will have a point or two to prove after most of the contentious decisions from the match officials went against them in the defeats in Auckland and Wellington.
Jack Goodhue will start at centre, with his Crusaders teammate Richie Mo'unga named as first-five cover on the reserves bench. Uncapped Highlander Jackson Hemopo will provide cover for the loose forwards.
For Hansen, the major challenge with all his inexperienced players is making them feel at home.
"Getting them comfortable enough to express themselves is normally the hardest part," he said. "Having your first introduction to the team can be overwhelming and then when you get your first opportunity to play can be a 'gee whizz' moment or it can be a moment where everything turns to custard and you don't want that.
"You have to make sure they're mentally ready and there's no doubt from an athletic point of view, talent-wise they're ready, but it's the mental fortitude of going into that arena for the first time."
The 1.95m and 108kg Frizell definitely possesses the first part of the equation - that much is obvious to his All Blacks and Highlanders teammate Luke Whitelock.
"His athleticism [is a strength] – he can do a lot with the ball and obviously on the other side of the ball as well. He's a bit of a freak in that department," Whitelock said.
