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You would have been offered very short odds in guessing Pat Lam's emotional state before his debut Super 14 season.
Only one answer was going to come from a range of options - nervousness, excitement, uncertainty.
Lam was as excited as he was before his playing debuts for the All Blacks and Samoa; he was buzzing about the challenge ahead.
Like children waiting to open their presents under the Christmas tree, this is a time of breathless anticipation.
If Lam has the same answer towards the tail-end of his first season with the Blues, the same sort of excitement when the wrappers have been unfurled from the bulk of the 2009 season and the results and issues are being debated, it will be a good sign.
"I am definitely excited," he said. "A lot of work has gone into the pre-season with an awful lot of people. I am pleased with the way we have come together as a team and been really excited by how much effort has been put in.
"The enjoyment factor has been there to see with everyone and when you see that, you realise this is why you enjoy coaching. But now the fun begins. Our pre-season was important, but I know we are going to have challenges week in week out in all sorts of areas.
"But I think the preparation we have had will hold us in good stead."
Lam brings the knowledge of a lengthy playing career as a looseforward, which included three World Cup campaigns, then a coaching career as an assistant with Scotland, the Pacific Islanders and a five-year term coaching Auckland in the national championship.
He has just turned 40 and has linked up with his old school and rugby mate Shane Howarth to try to reignite the sort of consistent spark that has eluded the Blues in recent seasons.
Once Lam was confirmed to succeed David Nucifora's four-year stint with the Blues, he went on an extended mission to discuss every aspect of the job - from management to player identification - with as many rugby "brains" as he could find.
"Obviously I have spoken with Graham Henry, John Hart, Gary Whetton, Grant Fox, Peter Thorburn and even other coaches in the competition like Colin Cooper who was very generous with his time and thoughts.
"There are so many people whose input I value and even players like Keven [Mealamu], Justin [Collins], Woody [Tony Woodcock] and Ali [Williams], they just have so much they can give, too.
Coaching had moved on significantly in most areas in the last 30 years, Lam said. It was no longer a game where one man could take charge. Nowadays coaches had to be consultative, they had to embrace rather than dictate, they had to work with their heads up rather than operate with tunnel vision.
"That is probably the most important thing. You have got to use what is around you, otherwise you will not improve and when I think of people like Ian McGeechan and Graham Henry, who are still going and the game has evolved so much and they have been able to change and stay at the top, then that is what I have to aim for."
The trick for a coach was to collect buckets of information, decipher it and then distil it in simple, uncluttered messages to the players.
"I know as a player I wanted to know what we were trying to do as a team and what your individual role was in that framework. You have to understand it and then believe it and that is largely what all the pre-season work is about.
"We have a lot of talent but we have to make sure we come together and we are all on the same page."
Lam had been impressed with the All Blacks' conditioning and attitude when they returned to the squad after a break, he liked what he saw from new fullback Paul Williams and there were a number of new players who had already impressed with their drive and determination. There would be nationwide interest on the first five eighths and it would be no different for the Blues pair of Tasesa Lavea and Jimmy Gopperth.
"We have got two guys there who have had experience at this level and that is important, and then we have a young guy like Michael Hobbs who looks an exciting talent.
"As long as we have options and they are all competing hard for a place, then that is a result.
"As long as we have choices in most positions every week, then we should be making headway."
