Being cut loose by the All Blacks this year has enabled Ethan Blackadder to achieve a provincial milestone instead.
He will notch his 50th game for Tasman against Otago on Saturday night, 10 seasons after he made his debut.
If it seems a long time, remember the loose forward missed all of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 NPC seasons through injury.
"I am rapped to get to 50 although it was never a goal. I knew sitting on 45 games at the start of the season, if I could play consistent games I would give myself a chance to get there," says the 30-year-old loose forward.
Given ankle, calf, hamstring, knee and hip flexor injuries plus concussions have sidelined Mako teammates already this year, so he was due for a change of luck.
"There have been a few dinks and kinks over the last couple of years but I am good at the moment."
A few - try seven calf injuries alone which also restricted him to 14 tests.
When you suggest touch wood the body is now holding together well, he quips where is the wood I need it.
Ethan has been a constant this year, starting the first three games at No.7 and then switching to the back of the scrum against North Harbour last weekend.
"It is my first match at No.6 but it doesn't bother me where I play in the loose."
Suggest he might deserve being subbed off in the second-half as the two midfielders Leicester Fainga'anuku and Timoci Tavatavanawai are both hybrids who could switch into No. 6, the response is swift.
"It is my 50th so I want to play 80 minutes, so they are not getting on my side of the scrum even though they are very versatile," insists Ethan with a grin.
It will be a sombre occasion too following the sudden death of former Mako captain Shane Christie this week, making Ethan even more determined to honour the fellow lose forward in his 50th appearance.
"Shane was a player I looked up to when I came into the Tasman squad as a 20-year-old. He was a Mako man for life," declares his former teammate.
