Nervous new All Black Liam Messam took a while yesterday to realise his wake-up call was just the news he was hoping for.
The Chiefs and Waikato loose forward was named as one of seven new caps in the 35-man All Black squad to tour Hong Kong, Britain and Ireland.
"I was a bit nervous last night so I took a sleeping pill to help me sleep well," a delighted Messam said yesterday.
"It took me a while to wake up in the morning and my phone had been going crazy with all these calls to tell me I was in or to congratulate me.
"It took a wee while for it all to sink in, I think the sleeping pill was still working," Messam grinned.
He said it had always been a goal since he was a schoolboy to make the All Blacks but he had tried not to put any pressure on himself over his possible elevation from the New Zealand Sevens and Maori squads.
"I've been biding my time, just trying to perform every year," Messam said.
The versatile 24-year-old admitted he would be happy to wear whichever jersey, preferably a test one, on the six-match tour, which will see the All Blacks play against Australia, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England as well as a midweek match against Munster.
"The ultimate goal will be to play a test, and now that I'm in the squad I want to stay in for as long as I can, so I'll be working twice as hard."
Messam is one of five Waikato and Chiefs players named in the touring party, but 17-test All Black Sione Lauaki was not included. Mils Muliaina will be the first-choice fullback and is joined by Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richard Kahui and Stephen Donald in the backline. Halfback Brendon Leonard was not considered as he is still recovering from knee surgery. - Ian Anderson
The Chiefs and Waikato loose forward was named as one of seven new caps in the 35-man All Black squad to tour Hong Kong, Britain and Ireland.
"I was a bit nervous last night so I took a sleeping pill to help me sleep well," a delighted Messam said yesterday.
"It took me a while to wake up in the morning and my phone had been going crazy with all these calls to tell me I was in or to congratulate me.
"It took a wee while for it all to sink in, I think the sleeping pill was still working," Messam grinned.
He said it had always been a goal since he was a schoolboy to make the All Blacks but he had tried not to put any pressure on himself over his possible elevation from the New Zealand Sevens and Maori squads.
"I've been biding my time, just trying to perform every year," Messam said.
The versatile 24-year-old admitted he would be happy to wear whichever jersey, preferably a test one, on the six-match tour, which will see the All Blacks play against Australia, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England as well as a midweek match against Munster.
"The ultimate goal will be to play a test, and now that I'm in the squad I want to stay in for as long as I can, so I'll be working twice as hard."
Messam is one of five Waikato and Chiefs players named in the touring party, but 17-test All Black Sione Lauaki was not included. Mils Muliaina will be the first-choice fullback and is joined by Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richard Kahui and Stephen Donald in the backline. Halfback Brendon Leonard was not considered as he is still recovering from knee surgery. - Ian Anderson
