Mitchell Scott can.
The former Otago and Tasman outside back was part of the all-conquering New Zealand under-20 team widely accepted as one of the best age group teams to emerge from this country.
The side fielded 16 internationals as it went on to win the Junior World Championships 10 years ago, in Italy.
The all-star cast in 2011 included 13 future All Blacks and another three internationals, who played for Wales, England and Tonga.
The side which took the field in the final had only two players who would not go on to play at senior international level — Scott and Wellington prop Solomona Sakalia.
Along with Naholo, Barrett, Retallick and Cane future All Blacks Steven Luatua, Lima Sopoaga, Luke Whitelock, Codie Taylor, Dominic Bird, Charles Piutau, TJ Perenara, Francis Saili and Brad Weber were in the squad in Italy.
Ben Tameifuna (Tonga), Brad Shields (England) and Gareth Anscombe (Wales) also went on to play international rugby.
It was freakish so many of the team went on to play at a senior international level. The Colts team the following year had only two future All Blacks. In 2010, seven All Blacks were to come from the side.
With that kind of talent at its disposal, the New Zealand under-20 team eased to victory.
They dispatched Italy (64-7) Wales (92-0) and Argentina (48-15) and beat Australia 37-7 in the semifinal before edging England 33-22 in the final.
That was 10 years ago now and it was ‘‘awesome to be part of’’, Scott said.
But it was also countless injuries ago.
‘‘Where do I start, there are too many to print.’’
Busted ankles, a strained groin, torn muscles, you name it.
The latest sounded nasty as well. He split his kidney while playing for Taieri against Green Island in Mosgiel earlier this season.
He was sidelined for three months.
It did not cost him a place in the Otago squad, though. He had already quietly made the decision 2020 was going to be his last at the top level. He ended up playing 30 games for Otago after starting out with Tasman and one season with the Force in Super Rugby in 2014.
Scott is focusing on his carpentry apprenticeship these days.
He enjoys playing for Taieri and he may don the colours again next season.
He is still undecided but clear that he would have approached rugby a little differently if he had his time over again.
‘‘Looking back now it was awesome to be part of that team. I was pretty lucky.
‘‘I remember going into the first camp and thinking these guys are on another level,’’
Not everyone felt the same way.
Some critics suggested it was going to be the worst Baby Blacks team in history and the winning streak was going to come to an end.
‘‘When you look back now that is kind of funny.’’
Scott remembers starting from the bench in the semifinal but making the run on side for the final.
He kept Naholo on the pine.
‘‘He was on the bench but you could see he was a phenomenal athlete.’’
Scott’s strategy was to be a lot busier and that work ethic earned him the start.
‘‘But I knew eventually he was going to catch up and he did. He’s an unreal player.
‘‘I was never as talented as a lot of the players I played with but I sacrificed a lot more. But then as I got older I probably needed to be more diligent due to my talent not being as sufficient as theirs.
‘‘I was one of those players that needed to work hard for the whole game, and if I was more diligent around my stretching and being more professional then my body would have lasted a lot longer and I could have done more I think.’’
The 30-year-old lives in Mosgiel with his partner Mikayla Latta, the daughter of former Otago player David Latta, who happens to also be his boss.
While he is retired from representative rugby, Scott is helping bring the next generation of talent through.
He is helping coach the Otago development team and working towards completing his carpentry qualification.
‘‘It is actually really refreshing and nice. You are always nervous about what the next step after rugby might be but I’m enjoying it.’’
