The old adage of 'hard work pays off' has come to fruition for All Blacks prop forward Kane Hames.
The 29-year-old will start for the first time in the black jersey on Saturday night when South Africa visit QBE Stadium in Albany.
Having got a taste of International rugby in August 2016 with a 20-minute run against the Wallabies the Tasman forward has bided his time, moulding himself into one of the best scrummager's in Super Rugby for the Chiefs.
Hames has been on the fringe of the All Blacks squad all year, earning a bench role in Sydney last month, but with injuries to selection certainties Owen Franks and Joe Moody. Hames finds himself as the number one available loose-head in the country.
The former Highlander said being back in the fold is rewarding.
"I've done a whole lot of work and try to work on what I'm meant to do to get back into this environment," Hames told reporters.
"It's always been an environment that I've wanted to be a part of, so it's always been a goal.
"I've always focused on it; I've always been working towards it."
Hames added, "There have been plenty of changes I've had to make in my game, even little shifts in the last probably couple of months in terms of some things around the field.
"But always working, always training."
Hames, capped five-times for the Maori All Blacks, is struggling to visualise how the Test might go for him on Saturday night; instead he can't help but think of all the people who have helped reach the pinnacle of New Zealand rugby.
"I've been thinking a lot about this the last couple of days probably and I could probably talk a lot about what I've had to do, but I always keep thinking about a lot of the people who have helped me along this journey, and that sort of stuff," Hames said.
"We've got a trainer Glen Stewart back home in Nelson who helps me out a lot. He's helping me out with my knee, he's helping me out with a lot of imbalances and injuries I've had in the past, and he's sort of helped me a lot to get to where I am.
"And whether it's some of the boys and the players, when I'm in camp, the culture is pretty special here where they make you feel like you deserve to be here and they make you feel like you can perform when you need to."
A year in rugby is a long time according to the Wellington born forward.
Twelve-months ago he was sitting at home on the couch wondering if a second All Blacks Test was possible now he finds himself in a position to lay a marker to ensure the likes of Moody are chasing him down for a spot.
"I know I didn't have a contract this time last year and there are many reasons for that, so I'm just sort of thankful that I was able to do the work with all the support around me."
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