Wellington scrumhalf Alby Mathewson will join up with the All Blacks squad for next Saturday's Test against Ireland as a replacement for the injured Any Ellis.
Mathewson will leave New Zealand tonight to travel to after Ellis had his tour cut short after suffering a rib injury during the second half of New Zealand's 32-6 win against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
And Mathewson has already been spreading the good news with family and friends.
"They were pretty excited for me, especially my family. They are really proud. My brothers always thought I'd make it but they were pretty excited for me," the 22-year-old said.
Even as he was watching the match in the early hours of Sunday morning (New Zealand time) Mathewson refused to let himself consider the possibility of a call-up.
"I didn't really get my hopes up from that because he just walked off and it just looked like he'd maybe got a little knock on it or something," Mathewson added.
"Heaps of mates were asking me 'are you ready to go?' and stuff like that. But I didn't think too much of it."
Mathewson was unlucky to miss out on Graham Henry's initial 35 man squad after an impressive season for Wellington.
Instead Ellis, who missed the final couple of weeks of the provincial season with a knee strain, got the nod behind Jimmy Cowan and Mathewson's Wellington team-mate Piri Weepu.
"I thought I'd had a pretty good season and I did what I could to try and play good rugby week in week out," Mathewson said.
"I obviously missed out and I was pretty disappointed but I looked on the bright side and thought: 'I'm young, I've still got plenty of time to make it'."
Now he is looking forward to linking up with his new All Blacks team-mates in Ireland — particularly the eight-strong Wellington contingent — and a start in next week's historic clash against Munster at Thomond Park is not beyond the realms of possibility.
"I'd be happy just to get on the bench. It will just be good to be over there and be in the environment but I would love to get on at any stage."
