KEY POINTS:
It seems like Tanerau Latimer has been around forever.
In a way, he has. Still just 21, the man who has been handed first crack at filling Marty Holah's boots at the Chiefs burst into the public arena as a teenager.
Latimer was still a schoolboy when he was plucked from obscurity by Gordon Tietjens to play for the New Zealand Sevens team. He did well enough to be picked up in the draft by the Crusaders as a 19-year-old to serve as an understudy to Richie McCaw.
He scored two tries on his starting Super Rugby debut against the Bulls in Pretoria and did well enough throughout the year to be protected and called up by the Chiefs for last year's Super 14. He made 10 appearances for his home franchise in what was a stop-start campaign last year but this year the Bay of Plenty openside's steady progression has continued.
This season he has been first cab off the rank in the Chiefs' seven shirt for the first three games of the season, beating competition from draftees Hayden Hopgood and Tom Harding.
Somewhat anonymous in the first-round defeat by the Blues at Eden Park, Latimer showed glimpses of his potential in last week's victory over the Waratahs.
He will be out to continue that improvement tonight against the Hurricanes.
"I'm trying to get the ball in my hands a bit more this year and get a bit more involved in the game, trying not to sit back and let everyone else do the work," he says, following a marathon training session.
As a whole, the Chiefs pack have started slowly this season.
That has led to some punishing training sessions but Latimer is better equipped to deal with them than most. One of the few players to claim to have actually enjoyed Tietjens' legendary sevens training sessions, Latimer's aerobic base is one of his greatest strengths.
"I consider myself a worker," he says.
"Some people would say it comes naturally but I don't think so. I think I've had to work for it."
He certainly has.
Growing up in Te Puke, Latimer had a mum who ensured he spent most of his spare time in a swimming pool.
He was a decent age-grade representative swimmer, even though he hated the training.
"I didn't really like it," he says.
"It was mum's way to keep me off the streets.
"I got sick of looking at a black line every morning and every afternoon, I was out of that pool as soon as I could."
He quit swimming at 14 but the discipline learned has held him in good stead since.
"I'm still adopting that approach. Here at the Chiefs it's good to have a mate like Liam Messam because he's got the same attitude.
"We help each other out."
Latimer, who can name former All Black George Skudder and recent New Zealand Maori coach Matt Te Pou as uncles, knows he has been handed the chance to progress to another level.
"I've been in the rugby circle for a few years now so I guess I can't call myself a young guy any more.
"I need to make that step up. And I think I can do it."
