New kids have most to gain
The two All Blacks newbies likely to play the most minutes in tonight’s test against Japan know it’s now their time to shine on the biggest stage of their respective careers. Dalton Papalii and Matt Proctor are among the chosen eight set for test debuts but the pair potentially have the most to gain of the new caps. Papalii, the 21-year-old Blues and Auckland flanker, was the surprise name listed in the main 32-man squad that heads to Europe after Japan for matches against England, Ireland and Italy, while 26-year-old Hurricanes centre Proctor was picked for the 19-man party joining the All Blacks for just the Tokyo test after returning from injury during Wellington’s Mitre 10 Cup season. Papalii admitted he was still struggling to come to terms with his new status as an All Black after earning his first call-up last month. ‘‘You can’t really describe it. It’s crazy. You dream all your life about being in this position. To hear your name called out, to be in the squad, it’s pretty special. My family was happy and mum was crying.’’ As for Proctor, who finally gets his chance after impressing in Super Rugby for so long, there will be some familiarity of sorts with Hurricanes team-mates Jordie Barrett (fullback), Nehe Milner-skudder (right wing) and Ngani Laumape (second fiveeighth) starting alongside him. It will be a challenge for Proctor to climb the pecking order above Laumape and incumbent All Blacks midfielders Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-brown and Sonny Bill Williams, but his chance in black has finally arrived. ‘‘It’s been a long road but I’ve just been enjoying my rugby over the past month or so with the Lions when I haven’t been injured,’’ Proctor said.