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It's hard to top 800 screaming schoolchildren when it comes to unabashed public adulation.
It may not have been entirely new to rugby idol Daniel Carter, but he seemed sheepish - particularly when members of the mob yelled, "We love you Dan".
The venue was the tennis court at Howick's Sommerville Intermediate, the school which won the opportunity for its students to talk to the CanTeen ambassador because of its involvement in the charity's annual appeal, Bandanna Week.
Quite a few heads were sporting bandannas - the red-and-black striped ones, and the white-and-black variation Carter designed for the October appeal.
But the man himself poked fun at his design attempts, saying he tried to get his more creative partner, Black Sticks hockey player Honor Dillon, to design the bandanna.
"She refused, because I'd get all the credit."
Carter said his next goal was to play well for the Crusaders. After his competitive rugby career ended, he would focus on running his clothing shops.
But he added: "Hopefully I've got a few more years left in rugby."
