Takapuna Rugby Club will have special reason to cheer on the All Blacks on Sunday morning.
One of the club's favourite sons, hooker James Parsons, will make his debut when the All Blacks take on Scotland at Murrayfield. Takapuna's clubrooms are set to be full for the breakfast kick-off, with club members and North Harbour fans invited along to celebrate a "special moment".
"From our club's point of view, from our 5-year-olds right up to our old boys, the club is just absolutely thrilled for him," said chairman Simon Cheesman.
"It couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke." Parsons, 27, has been something of a late bloomer at the top level of rugby, breaking into the Blues' development squad in 2012 after playing school rugby at King's College, representing Takapuna's premier side for several years and making more than 70 appearances for North Harbour.
He cemented his spot on the bench for the Blues in 2013, backing up Keven Mealamu. Already in London after earning selection for coach Sir John Kirwan's Barbarians squad who were just pipped by Australia at Twickenham, Parsons was called up to the All Blacks when Nathan Harris was injured in Chicago.
