If it wasn't for mum's chicken soup, Jack Goodhue might not have got the starting nod at centre for the All Blacks' test against England at Twickenham on Sunday (NZ time).
Goodhue's spot in the All Blacks squad was in jeopardy, when he was forced to miss the Japan leg of New Zealand's northern tour, due to glandular fever.
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The illness ruled he was ruled out of the Springboks test in Pretoria and hasn't played since the Boks test in Wellington.
But he is fully fit and will start in the midfield alongside Sonny Bill Williams in the 23-year-old's biggest test to date.
Goodhue feared he would miss the entire tour, but a trip back home - to the mighty north - helped him recover in time for the trip to Europe.
"Anyone who knows a bit about glandular fever knows it can last a while," he said. "I was being told some horror stories that I could be out for six months or something.
"I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have been up home to Northland and Kawakawa, and mum got me on the chicken soup and I bounced back pretty quick.
"So I'm feeling one hundred percent now and ready to play."
Goodhue had blood tests to confirm he had recovered from the fever and he flew directly to London to link up with the team.
The test against England will be his sixth for New Zealand and the most daunting, playing in front of 80,000 fans.
"I haven't played in front of 80,000 before, but I can't imagine it will be too much different from playing in front of 50,000.
"It might be a little louder, but I'm not trying to think about it, and play the game I've been playing since I was a kid and do my thing."
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