For Riley Weir's seventh birthday all he wanted was for Julian Savea to be at his party.
He wanted it so much he made Savea an invitation and took it by hand from his home in Takaka to the All Blacks last test in Christchurch.
"Him, his brother and his dad went down and he took it with him hoping to see him, so he took it to Christchurch, took it to the game, and then brought it back home," Riley's mother Anna Weir said.
With Savea not playing in Christchurch, Weir tried her luck messaging him on Facebook.
"Riley had a little letter that he sent with it and Julian answered not long ago," she said.
"Then Riley Facebooked him last night and said he was coming over from Takaka and he was hoping to meet him, Julian answered about half an hour later and said: 'Awesome can't wait to meet you'."
The six foot three All Blacks winger also known as The Bus and All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor and prop Owen Franks were met by a crowd of around 150 people at Nelson Airport on Thursday, and were welcomed to the city by Mayor Rachel Reese and a haka from the Nelson College first XV.
But Riley and ten-year-old brother Kegan, who had driven over to Nelson with their grandfather, didn't get lost in the crowd, with Savea finding the bright eyed duo and giving Riley his training top.
"He is quite overwhelmed really," Riley's mother said.
"It's huge for him, because he's a really anxious sensitive little boy, it's just amazing and it's nice to see that the small people matter. And to share it with his granddad is pretty cool as well."
Savea, who was in Nelson with the two other All Blacks visiting Stoke School, said he'd been overseas for Riley's birthday party and wanted to give him something for the occasion.
The three players, who are just two weeks out from heading to the World Cup, spent the day visiting room 11 at Stoke School after the class won a competition for a video they made supporting the All Blacks. The players also visited Stoke Seniors and joined in on an inter-school rippa rugby tournament at Saxton Stadium.
Wherever they went the players were swarmed by small, determined selfie and autograph crazed fans.
Taylor said the attention was more than he was used to, but it was great to get to Nelson and meet all the kids.
"They're the ones that support us and we don't get to go out to the smaller areas as much as we probably should," he said.
"It's a small part of our job and we need to recognise the people that support us."
He said he could remember being an 11-year-old and wanting to wear the black jersey, "watching the likes of Jerry Collins running around, I aspired to be like them and luckily I can say I am now".
Stoke School student George Davies, 11, said it was "awesome to have them here, it's really special".
"Having them here is like meeting a superhero. All of them, Julian Savea, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks - but mostly Julian because he plays my position."
Stoke School deputy principal and room 11 teacher Craig Logan said the kids "absolutely loved it, they were buzzing".
"I was talking to some of the kids when they left and they said we're never going to forget this.
"We'll all be cheering for the All Blacks at the World Cup, but we'll be cheering for these three in particular."
- Stuff
ANNA BRADLEY-SMITH
Last updated 09:57, September 4 2015