Liam Squire's eyes light up and a smile spreads across his face when he thinks about whether it is the physical nature of test rugby that excites him most.
He knows it is and he presumably knows too that it's his abrasive nature and love of contact that has largely been responsible for getting him this far.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has seen plenty of remarkable athletes in his time. He's seen all sorts of magnificent specimens aspire to be a test loose forward and so few actually make it.
The reason most don't quite make the cut is that they don't have the mentality to impose themselves. Test rugby has evolved over the years but not so much as that it has lost the essence of itself - it remains a game of impacts and collisions and only the hardest men can thrive.
Squire is proving himself to be an intriguing mix of athleticism and confrontation. He's shown impressive acceleration when he's come off the bench in recent tests and a clarity about what he's there to do.
At full tilt, he's quite a sight but it's his ability to pull off dominant tackles that has pushed him into the No 6 jersey for this weekend's clash with Ireland in the United States city of Chicago (9am Sunday NZ time).
He was one of the best dominant tacklers in Super Rugby and he's shown that same ability in test football. He seems to be different to many of his peers in that he has that mental toughness and love of the confrontation that is a pre-requisite of the role.
"It gets you excited to get into that physical battle," he says. "I don't know...it is something I have in my game and I keep working on it. If you don't bring the right attitude then you are going to be playing on the back foot. You have got to meet the challenge.
"When you have three older brothers you have got to stand up for yourself. Growing up on the farm as the youngest it was pretty tough but I loved it."
Squire has adapted impressively quickly to the pace and intensity of test rugby and he's been able to do that by realising early that one of the keys to success at this level is attention to detail.
He's had his eyes opened to how prepared he has to be to perform. At the start of the international season his Highlanders teammate Elliot Dixon was probably ahead of him - viewed internally as the most likely heir apparent to Jerome Kaino.
Squire has changed that pecking order in the last few months but he's not ready yet to say he's a specialist blindside and nor are the selectors.
"I am pretty open minded about playing six and eight," he says. "They are both familiar roles. I probably get a bit more involved in attack at No 8 but they are pretty similar."
- By Gregor Paul of the NZ Herald
Debut for another Barrett
Lock Scott Barrett is set to make his New Zealand debut after being named on the bench for the test against Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Barrett, the 22-year-old younger brother of All Blacks first five-eighth Beauden, was New Zealand's Under-20 player of the year in 2013 and has been in impressive form for the Crusaders in this year's Super Rugby competition.
It will also be a milestone occasion for winger Julian Savea, who will win his 50th cap in the first test of New Zealand's northern hemisphere tour in which they will play Italy in Rome and France in Paris either side of a second encounter against Ireland in Dublin.
"Firstly, we want to congratulate Scott on being selected in the matchday 23 for the first time," New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said in a team statement.
"It will be special day for him and the entire Barrett family, including his two brothers who are touring with him."
"Also, we want to congratulate Julian on reaching 50 tests. That is a significant achievement."
The Barretts will become the 45th set of brothers to represent the All Blacks who, with Julian and Ardie Savea also named in the matchday 23, have selected two sets of siblings for the first time in 55 years.
In 1961 Ian and Don Clarke played alongside Colin and Stan Meads in a test against France at Eden Park.
The All Blacks have an imperious record against Ireland having played them 28 times and never lost, with the teams drawing once in 1973.
Hansen, however, described the challenge they will face in Chicago as "massive".
"They're a well-coached team with quality players, they play to their strengths and they're very good at identifying and attacking the weaknesses of the opposition they face," he said.
"We anticipate them using some special plays that we haven't seen before, as well as bringing a very physical, 'in-your-face' attitude and a structured kicking game. Knowing all this has created a good edge in our group."
The test is taking place in Chicago as it has a large Irish-American community.
- Reuters