Hundreds of kids from the local primary schools and rugby clubs were on hand to witness the All Blacks' season launch in Upper Hutt and chase their favourite players for their autographs.
Debutants and stalwarts thrilled to make All Blacks
The All Blacks were welcomed Wednesday morning to their new base at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt by mana whenua Te Ati-Awa and Taranaki Wha-nui, before six local schools got to show their support by cheering as loudly as they could.
New coach Scott Robertson and new captain Scott Barrett both spoke to the crowd, before the All Blacks players, some old and some new, signed autographs and chatted with their young fans.
Scott and Jordie Barrett. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
Orlena and Kauta from Corina School in Waitangirua were there to see one man and one man only.
"Ardie Savea is our favourite player, yeah definitely Ardie Savea," the girls said.
"We're having a great day," said the pair, who were also chuffed to get some time off school.
Ardie Savea speaks to media. All Blacks 2024 Season Launch at The Green Room, NZCIS, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand on Wednesday 26 June 2024. Mandatory credit: Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz Photo: Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
They managed to snare the signature of Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima, one of five debutants in the All Blacks squad.
Ratima, 23, found out he was in the team at the same time as the public.
"I was just parked up watching the announcement with my family and my name got called out and far out, I just went into shock, it was pretty crazy and I don't think it's sunken in yet."
Cortez Ratima fires a pass away. Photo: Photosport
Ratima, of Ngāti Maniapoto from Piopio, dreamed of being an All Black when he was at school and said he would have loved to have met his rugby idols when he was a kid.
"Yeah 100 percent. I would have been starstruck as a little kid and I'm still starstruck now actually given some of the guys I'm rubbing shoulders with. It's so cool, bro."
While Ratima was soaking it all in for the first time as an All Black, the experience was equally as enjoyable for veteran first-five Beauden Barrett, who missed Super Rugby to play in Japan, but is back in Aotearoa and the national side.
"It's great to see genuine buzz and joy in their (fans) faces and feed off that energy and excitement.
"They're the next generation, the future and having had limited experiences with my heroes growing up, those experiences really fuelled me to want to be like them and inspired me."
Halfback TJ Perenara is an inspiration for those returning from injury, with the 32-year-old back in the All Blacks for the first time since he ruptured his achilles playing for New Zealand in November 2022.
TJ Perenara speaks with RNZ's Joe Porter. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
His return has been hard fought and he believes it might even be a little more special than when he was first selected to the team in 2014.
"This one is just different. I wasn't picked in the All Blacks in 2022, ended up getting called in late to the end of year tour, got injured, then injured myself again so there's a lot that happened between me last being named and now. So it's a different feeling and I think this one might mean a little bit more."
The team would no doubt like a little more time together before next week's opening test against England in Dunedin, but Perenara said Robertson has been unambiguous with his plans for the side and he was confident they will be ready for their first match of the new World Cup cycle.