Jona Nareki, a former Feilding High School pupil, was yesterday named in the New Zealand under-20 side for the World Junior Championships in Georgia next month.
Nareki, who was born in Sigatoka in Fiji and moved to New Zealand a couple of months later, was not originally named in the first squad to trial for the team.
But he was called into the second camp in March after another player got injured, and made the most of his opportunity.
''I think not getting in there to start with just made me more determined to give it a real go,'' he said. ''I just got a bit of confidence getting in there with all the good players.''
Nareki has been named in a 28-strong squad which does not include All Black Rieko Ioane and Hurricanes back Jordie Barrett.
Super Rugby coaches have first call on players so the junior team will be denied having a blockbuster midfield for the tournament.
Nareki who plays on the left wing but can play in any of the back three positions, said he was excited to make the trip to Georgia, although it was a trip into the unknown.
''I've been saying to people I'm off to Georgia, and they say in the United States. But no it's the country. I don't really know where it is.''
Georgia is a rising nation in the rugby world. It lies between eastern Europe and western Asia, with a population of about 3.7 million.
Nareki grew up in Whanganui and made an impact at school with his rugby. He made the New Zealand Barbarians side in 2015 and headed south at the start of last year.
He is good mates with sevens player Vilimoni Koroi - ''we went to the same kindy together and have been mates ever since''.
Brayden Whitelock, the father of All Black Sam, played a big hand in Nareki heading south, helping to get him to play for Alhambra-Union.
''I love it down here. I've only been back home once or twice since I've been down here. Just the way it is small enough to get around and big enough for things to happen.''
Nareki is studying a sports and management course at Otago Polytechnic and said the aim for the year was to pass his course and to play as well as he can.
