KEY POINTS:
He's just 12 years old but ball boy Taylor Edwards already sounds like the seasoned pro with the ready lines rugby fans would expect to hear at the end of a match.
The three-test ball boy, who plays openside flanker for the Eden Rugby Club's under-12 side, says he's not in it for the money.
"Actually we don't get paid but we get a couple of cartons of hot chips, an iceblock and a Coke before the game.
"Anyway it's not about what you get out of the game but the experience you take from it."
Taylor, whose job is to provide the kicking tees, is one of the nine ball boys who will ensure tomorrow night's game flows as smoothly as possible. He is still working towards gaining the prized "ball carrier" spot in the team.
"They get to wipe the ball and make sure there's always a ball available for the teams," he said.
"It's actually not as easy as it looks and not anyone can do this ... It takes a lot of training and you need speed, discipline and respect.
"You can't listen to what the crowd are saying and can't pick up any of the lollies they often throw at you."
Auckland ball boys manager Jillian Simpson said the average career of a ball boy was about three or four years.
The boys learn the trade in club matches, curtainraisers, the Air New Zealand Cup and Super 14 before taking on test matches.
"Some of these children are as committed to this as players are," she said.
Taylor said he was "too focused on what I had to do" as a ball boy to get nervous when the All Blacks played Ireland last year.
His favourite souvenirs include All Black lock Chris Jack's shorts. "He threw them out of the changing room and I caught them." He said he would be keeping them, not selling them.
The Auckland Normal Intermediate pupil said he was considering being a referee when he got older.
