KEY POINTS:
John Schwalger makes his All Blacks debut against Canada tomorrow but in a quirky way his first taste of test rugby actually came two weeks ago.
Wellington prop Schwalger had never attended a rugby test before making the New Zealand squad so it was a new experience when the 23-year-old sat in the Eden Park stand for the first test against France.
"Before that I just watched them at home," Schwalger said.
"You know you've got a place to stay and you don't have to catch a cab to get home or any of the other hassles.
"I've been to Super 12 games when I was younger but that was about it."
Apia-born Schwalger will get the true test experience at Waikato Stadium and even though Canada are unlikely to provide a challenge, he said he had struggled to stop grinning all week.
"I've tried to keep it to myself, I didn't want to get carried away," the quietly spoken loosehead said.
"Come Saturday I'll be nervous, it'll hit me."
His debut completes a rapid rise, coming two years ago today after his debut for Wellington against the touring British and Irish Lions.
He is comforted by having Hurricanes frontrow comrades Neemia Tialata and Andrew Hore alongside him and said their advice this week was to be himself but not afraid to ask questions.
He hoped the weeks of committing All Blacks moves and patterns to memory won't let him down.
Since his surprise naming in 30-man squad last month, it sometimes felt like he had returned to his old Porirua school Viard College, such has been the intense flow of information from coach and former principal Graham Henry among others.
"It's hard out. When I first came in, Graham said make sure you bring some books," Schwalger said.
"They were writing stuff about the gameplan, stuff about the team, what the All Blacks are really about.
"We had to write all that stuff down so we know what it really means to be an All Black."
Suddenly Schwalger has to know not just about the next scrum but what the wingers are planning to do from it.
"I'm still trying to take it all in. I'm more into action, I prefer doing it rather than looking at it.
"If you write it down you know it's there but doing it is another thing."
The burly Schwalger impressed with his powerful running and improved scrummaging in the Super 14.
All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen was sure he was ready for the step up after some sessions with scrum guru Mike Cron.
"He's worked hard on his fitness and his game knowledge," Hansen said.
"Technically he's done a lot of work with Cronno and we look forward to that being borne out when he plays."
His involvement at the World Cup will depend largely on the recovery from a long-term Achilles tendon injury of veteran Canterbury prop Greg Somerville, who Hansen said was progressing steadily.
Schwalger's partner Ahi and their daughter Phoenix will be at tomorrow's game and will stay in Hamilton with family while he travels for the two overseas Tri-Nations tests.
- NZPA
