Byron Kelleher's extended time on the All Black rugby team's reserves bench has not been wasted.
The Otago scrumhalf may be playing second fiddle to Justin Marshall in the Test starting 15 but he finds himself in a learning zone.
Dave Loveridge, one of the great international halfbacks, stayed with the All Blacks for a few days before last Saturday's Bledisloe Cup Test and passed on a few tips to Kelleher, 24, who first played for the All Blacks in 1999.
Loveridge, a 24-Test veteran for the All Blacks between 1978 and 1985, is regarded as one of the finest halfbacks to play for New Zealand, and often played inside Wayne Smith, the national coach.
He was a member of the All Blacks' 1978 Grand Slam-winning tour of Britain and Ireland.
"Dave emphasised to me that the first job of a halfback is to clear the ball and to do it quickly," Kelleher said.
"The quicker the halfback goes in and gets the ball, the more go-forward you have.
"Dave gave a lot of words of wisdom to Justin Marshall and myself," Kelleher said.
"It was good to get his words of advice and it was good for him to be in our environment."
Kelleher is a keen student of rugby and has made a special study of the former All Black halfbacks.
"There has never been a dud All Black halfback," Kelleher said. "We have had a great depth."
Looking ahead to the Springbok Test in Auckland on August 25, Kelleher said there were a number of positive aspects to the game that the All Blacks can take into the next two Tests.
"We will be a well-gelled unit when we get to Sydney (for the September 1 match)," he said.
Kelleher grabbed his chance in the second spell in the 23-15 defeat to Australia at Carisbrook last Saturday. "I had so much adrenalin pumping inside. It was good to get on to the field and do my bit for the country," he said.
"Nervousness was the last thing on my mind," he said. "I just wanted to get out there amongst it. Sitting on the bench makes you anticipate and want to fire the shots when you get out there.
"I don't look upon being a reserve in a negative way at all. Any number with a jersey with a Silver Fern on it will do me." - Sapa-NZPA