Sonny Bill Williams was always going to take the spotlight at some point on this tour and not just because of the arrival of his baby daughter.
As the polarising one sat out training in his hotel room yesterday to share in one of life's special moments with wife Alana Raffie, it was worth pondering for a second what he's done over the past three weeks.
During 59 minutes in Chicago, Williams made the USA look like schoolboys as he rollicked through the defensive line to score two tries.
He led the All Blacks in metres run (132) and clean breaks (3) - and scored two tries to boot.
At Twickenham he produced a quality 80 minutes against a world class team in England, making crucial reads in defence and producing some memorable moments in attack on a difficult day for the All Blacks.
He was second in metres run (66) and clean breaks (2) and made eight tackles.
Then last week in Edinburgh he managed to record the All Blacks' third highest tackle count (7) in just 25 minutes to help his side get out of a difficult situation against Scotland.
This is a guy who had not played any rugby union since he left Panasonic in November 2012.
Williams came straight off two seasons of rugby league with the Sydney Roosters and resumed his test career as though he never left.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen may have planned to ease Williams back in but his form in training and games forced the issue.
He played 164 minutes in Europe, second only to Ryan Crotty (193) and was probably one of the first names on the team sheet when Hansen sat down to pen his starting side to play Wales on Sunday.
The code-hopping phenomenon timing could not have been better after All Blacks incumbent Ma'a Nonu's broken arm kept him out of the end of year tour.
The bad news for Wales is that Williams is now pumped up on the adrenaline of becoming a father for the first time.
The 29-year-old took to social media to share his joy with his 403,000 followers on Twitter .
The post was accompanied by a picture of his new daughter's tiny foot.
Williams is surely set to be picked to place some slightly larger footprints on Millennium Stadium on Sunday where, if he continues his upward curve, he may place a stake in the ground.
In 2011 he played a bit part in the All Blacks run to the World Cup title playing just a few minutes in the semifinal and final.
In a year's time it is already becoming difficult to see how this new dad's part will not be more significant.
With Williams, Nonu, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, and Ryan Crotty in the mix, the All Blacks selections in the midfield next year, may be as difficult as at first five-eighth.
- The Dominion Post
