His reward this week is to put his feet up while others in the Highlanders got on the plane yesterday to fly halfway round the world.
Dixon, the Highlanders loose forward, made his debut for the All Blacks on Saturday night, getting just under an hour of game time before being replaced by fellow Highlander Liam Squire.
Dixon said the speed of the game was everything he expected.
"I felt pretty good during defence but in attack I felt the ball was coming out pretty quick and I did not really have time to reposition,'' he said.
"The lungs were hissing in that first 30 minutes but it was an exciting time to be out there.
"Our mental skills coach, Bert [Gilbert Enoka], told us to take one thing at a time. So I was just concentrating on the anthem. I just didn't want to sing as the boys beside me would start to crack up. I was just thinking about doing the haka next.
"I wanted to get into the game early. I was fortunate enough for one of the boys to go in low and I went in over the top. That was the plan to get in a shot early for me to get into the game.''
Dixon said the game went incredibly quickly and he was happy with his effort.
He made plenty of tackles and was out on the sidelines in attack, though the ball rarely found its way to his hands.
Squire admitted the game was fast when he went on to much applause from the crowd.
"Super rugby is fast but test rugby is at a different level. You can't explain it. You've got to go out there and actually be a part of it, get a feel for it. You can psych yourself up all week about how quick it is going to be but it is not until you get out there [that you really know].''
Though he only got 25 minutes on the field, Squire said the whole period spent in the national set-up had been worthwhile.
"I have learnt a lot over the last four weeks with Steve [Hansen] and his coaches. It is awesome to get among them and learn from some of the best. Hopefully, I can take that into the Landers for the rest of the season and keep growing.''
Squire was joined by fellow All Black Lima Sopoaga in flying to South Africa to join their Highlanders team-mates in Port Elizabeth where the side takes on the Kings next weekend.
