When Quinn Tupaea takes the field for any rugby game, there's a special fan club in the stands supporting him most of the time.
"The Tupaea Fire Fan Club," the Chiefs midfielder said with a grin.
"That's my uncle's thing - he's been doing it since high school."
The fan club had plenty of reason to celebrate last night with the 22-year-old a bolter in Ian Foster's 36-man All Blacks squad for the 2021 Test season.
Tupaea was in camp with the Māori All Blacks when the team was announced last night and to everyone's surprise, New Zealand Rugby chairman Stewart Mitchell read his name out for Foster's team.
"I didn't think I was going to get named but after [Patrick] Tuipulotu, I think my name got called and I sort of went blank for a moment," he said.
"At first I didn't know how to feel - do I cry now or do I get up and let out a 'chehoo' - but I kept it pretty quiet there."
Tupaea said soon after the announcement he left the team for an emotional call to his parents and returned to hugs and congratulations from Māori All Blacks players and staff.
"I've always wanted to be an All Black. I started really thinking about it in year 12 or 13 when I was in the First XV... haka in front of the TV before games was something me and brother always used to do."
The Hamilton Boys' High School alumni has since left the Māori All Blacks camp to join the All Blacks in Auckland for their camp but has made a short stop home to see his family first.
"I'll have a few family members around tonight so that will be cool."
The All Blacks have three Tests next month; first up against Tonga in Auckland before two matches against Fiji in Dunedin and Tupaea's hometown of Hamilton.
After making his Māori All Blacks debut at Waikato Stadium last year, Tupaea said it'd be a dream come true to don the black jersey for the first time in his hometown as well.
"I was looking at the stadiums we'll be playing in and I didn't realise we had a game in Hamilton," Tupaea said.
"I'd have hundreds of family members there if I was to debut in Hamilton."
If that's the case, the Tupaea Fire Fan Club could be in for a membership boom.
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