All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams with a young fan. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Hundreds of Kiwis across the country have had the special chance to spend some time with their sporting heroes today.
Ten lucky winners from around New Zealand won the chance to host the All Blacks in their town today, following the announcement of the All Blacks Rugby World Cup 2015 squad on Sunday.
As well as this, Air New Zealand were also hosting public events with the All Blacks at Auckland, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Gisborne, Dunedin and Hokitika airports.
About 100 passengers swarmed the Air New Zealand check in area to catch a glimpse of the All Blacks at Auckland Airport's domestic terminal today.
Tony Woodcock and Kevin Mealamu were helping on the premium check in desk, while Melakai Fekitoa handed out lollies.
Meanwhile, Brodie Retallick and Jerome Kaino helped people load bags into the carousel.
Sonny Bill Williams was a crowd favorite, with kids staring at the tall player wide-eyed.
Youngster Laikyn Wakefield said Williams was his favourite player but he was too shy to have a picture taken with his idol.
Haretini Wakefield said it was just a lucky coincidence the family was at the airport at the same time as the players.
"We always have backed them, they're our team. We're just flying out and they were here. So we're just looking and looking."
Skier Judy Haslett said she was even lucky enough to have her bag carried by one of the rugby greats.
Williams carted her ski bag to the oversize luggage section. She also managed to nab autographs from a bunch of the players.
"I've got a flight at 11.20 so I was waiting for the Air Bus and the shuttle came and got me out here early. I was going to have an hour wait but I don't have to wait at all now.
"I reckon my sons had it all planned," she said.
All Blacks Ben Smith, Kieran Read and Ben Frank arrived at Dunedin Airport just after 11am today.
The five-and six-year-olds from room 2 and 3 of Mosgiel's Elmgrove School were there to meet them, pointing and clapping as they arrived.
The All Blacks handed out lollies and cookies, and posed for photographs with children, parents, teachers and other airport visitors.
They then moved to a nearby departure gate, where Read made the boarding calls over the intercom.
As passengers passed through to their Wellington-bound aircraft they stopped for photographs and offered their best wishes to the All Blacks.
About 100 people packed Hillside Rd's Radius Fulton Rest Home to welcome and mingle with the All Blacks at about midday.
Musselbugh School's kapa haka group welcomed the three All Blacks with a song and a haka.
Rest home residents then played them a video of a poem penned in support of the team, which was one of several winning entries nationally to be rewarded with All Black visits.
At Papakura Normal School in Auckland, 660 students filed in to the school hall, to greet visiting All Blacks Keven Mealamu, Jerome Kaino, Brodie Retallick and Malakai Fekitoa.
It's been a big week for the school, the Warriors had visited on Tuesday to run a skills session with students.
Papakura local Mealamu said it was "awesome" to visit the school."I drive past here all the time and it's awesome to get to come in and meet the kids," he said.
"A lot of these kids, I've coached their big brothers or my son has played with their big brothers."
The players sat in small groups with the students and played maths games and did reading exercises with them.
Students sitting with Mealamu said "he's an awesome player. He's a great All Black."
Cara Herewini, 7, read a book to Kaino and played maths games. Cara said it was "exciting" to meet the players.
"I like the All Blacks. It's cool because I've never seen an All Black, only on TV."
Mealamu, Kaino, Fekitoa and Retallick also surprised Alfriston College with an unannounced visit.
The group of players surprised the year 9s at the school this afternoon.
The year 9s knew someone was coming for a visit, and some of the students were guessing lots of different music and TV stars as the special guest.
Two students found out who was coming before they arrived and said "everyone's going to flip!"
When the four players arrived the students erupted into cheers and whistles.
Five students asked carefully written questions to the players.
Fekitoa was asked what he would do if he suffered a career-ending injury. He joked "modelling", but said he thought he would want to own a gym if he wasn't a rugby player.
The last question was who will come second in the Rugby World Cup, the crowd of students screamed "Samoa" but Mealamu said"don't care as long as we beat them".
Mairangi Bay pre-school Small Fries welcomed members of the squad with a rousing haka and song performed by the youngsters. Sonny Bill Williams was later stationed at a painting easel, complete with a set of paint pits, with his young fans.
Tony Woodcock and Aaron Smith were also taking photos and chatting to parents and kids, all decked in black and white.
The packed play centre was decorated with black balloons and signs made by the children.
Mother Olga Oosthuizen said her 3-year-old son Alex had talked of almost nothing but the impending visit from his idols.
"He absolutely loves it. It amazing, the kicking of the ball, everything. He's been telling me they're coming, we've been talking about it all the time.
"We're from South Africa but we fully support the All Blacks. It's amazing what they're doing here. To come out it means so much to the kids, it's something they'll never forget."
The pre-schoolers even got a chance to have a kick around with halfback Aaron Smith.
Williams lifted one lucky fan up in the air as if he was the World Cup itself.
The parents and preschool teachers were visibly excited about the visit - and had organised a classic Kiwi BBQ for after the event.
The three All Blacks also visited Long Bay Primary where they were interviewed by a classroom before meeting the school in the hall.
Cheers erupted as Williams, Woodcock and Smith entered the classroom - with 23 sets of eyes glued to their faces.
A number of the Year 5 and 6 students got teary at their entrance.
The All Blacks were thrown some curveball questions - including one from Lily who asked what career they would choose if they weren't rugby players.
But the three mates said they would stick together.
"I would be a farmer," Woodcock replied immediately.
"I would love to play golf but if I couldn't play golf then I would come be a farmer with you," Smith said.
And Williams agreed: "Then I would be a farmer too".
The All Blacks also went into detail about who they told first when they were selected for the World Cup squad.
"My family and my close ones because I know they would be proud if me," Williams said.
Woodcock and Smith also said their families were the first to know.
"I told my mum and dad, I rang them straight away but I told them they had to keep it secret because we found out early. My mum's not very good at keeping secrets but it was alright."
And Williams rose to the occasion when asked what his most embarrassing moment of his career had been.
"One of them would have been this year. We played the Crusaders and I got stepped and fell over. He ran past," he said.
"It's just embarrassing when you make mistakes pretty much," Woodcock added.
A loud haka welcome was then performed as the All Blacks entered the packed school hall.
Youngsters got the chance to ask the men in black questions, including one Year 1 student who piped up: "When you're not playing rugby do you have any other jobs?"
Another student asked who was the greatest All Black of all time, to which Aaron Smith replied the answer was "pretty obvious".
"We're very lucky to have him as our captain. I would say Richie McCaw is the best All Black, and he's the best I've played with too."
Hundreds of Opotiki locals turned up at the hall, including bus loads of school pupils as well as other members of the community.
A spokesperson told the crowd the All Blacks were mobbed by Whakatane locals and had to be dragged away and she urged the crowd to keep their distance. They sat local kaumatua on seating below where the All Blacks sat to ensure there was no stampede.
Opotiki's Dave Hori brought his granddaughter Rahara, 3, along to meet the All Blacks.
Although he was a big fan himself, his granddaughters were also fans and had even gone to a game.
"Going to a live match you'd think the kids are going to get sick of it but there's quite a few things going down, they're quite animated about it."
Opotiki College students performed a haka of their own.
The players arrived at the school library where they met some more students.
Kaino had a reunion with a former teacher from Papakura High School.
Senior leader at Alfriston College Wayne Rangihuna took great delight in making fun of Kaino in front of the students.
When a student asked the players what they were passionate about outside of rugby, Mr Rangihuna said: "When he was at Papakura High Jerome was passionate about holding hands with his missus."
The students laughed and Kaino looked embarrassed.
As the players left Mr Rangihuna and Kaino shook hands and said it was great to catch up.
Former All Blacks' frustrations began before he coached his first All Blacks test.