New All Black Delany looking to take his chance

Bay of Plenty back Mike Delany will get a rare opportunity when he dons the All Blacks shirt for the first time at Milan's San Siro stadium on Saturday.

The 27-year-old will be making his test debut for New Zealand against Italy at an age when most uncapped players will have thought that an international bow was probably beyond them.

The fly-half, who also plays for the Chiefs franchise in the Super 14 competition, will replace Dan Carter, who is suspended following a high tackle against Wales last Saturday.

He is one of three new caps in coach Graham Henry's inexperienced side alongside Tamati Ellison and Ben Smith but Delany is taking it in his stride.

"It's going to be a great occasion and I just want to play my natural game and take it from there," he said.

"I just came from Rotorua and was just doing it because I loved the game and I'd never think that far ahead but now that it's come true it's awesome," he added.

"I started throwing a ball around with my family, I enjoyed my time at varsity and it's just gone from there." Henry suggested it wasn't so unusual for someone to receive a call up later in his career.

"I think he's played outstandingly for the Bay of Plenty and showed some great things in the Super 14," said the former Wales coach.

"He's probably one of the form players in the Air New Zealand Cup now. Going back over the years he probably wasn't the stand out that he's been this year.

"It's probably opportunity, probably maturity, some guys develop later. It's probably about confidence, he's running the ship at Bay of Plenty.

"I think it's a positive, you've got guys like Frank Bunce and Joe Stanley who became All Blacks at 28 and were world class players in their 30s.

"This guy plays in a different position but who knows, he could well do the same. He's got the opportunity, he's proved himself at the levels below and now he's got the opportunity to play test match rugby."

It's not all about the game, though, as Saturday's captain Rodney So'oialo says the players are also trying to make the most of the culture on offer.

"I've been trying to get around and see the sights, I want to see the Last Supper (the Leonardo da Vinci fresco in the Santa Marie delle Grazie church in Milan), I've always wanted to see that," he said.

"You've got to appreciate things like that, just seeing some of the structures made by hand and the machines.

And there will be added pressure on him in an inexperienced team: he has more caps on his own than the 11 least capped players in the side put together.

"It's always an honour, first and foremost it's an honour putting on the jersey itself but to lead the boys out makes it special for myself," he said.

"These boys are hungry, they haven't played in a while, there's three boys playing their first caps.

"You don't have to say anything to them, they're playing for themselves, their families and their country, you don't need any more motivation than that."

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