The All Blacks have given Tokyo-bound Olympic swimmer Erika Fairweather their best wishes in a surprise meeting this morning, albeit in a unique way thanks to prop Angus Ta'avao.
At an assembly at Kavanagh College in Dunedin this morning, Ta'avao, Finlay Christie and Brodie Retallick all took time out from preparing for tomorrow night's Test against Fiji to give Fairweather a warm sendoff.
Ta'avao made the moment special though, embracing Fairweather's status as a "freestyler".
"I'm a bit of a freestyler as well," Ta'avao said to giggles from the audience.
After clearing his throat he backed up the statement though with an off-the-cuff wrap about the 17-year-old swimmer.
"Erika, Erika, training to get betterer," he started off.
"Not a real word so stay at school to get cleverer."
The short performances was met with more laughter before Ta'avao delivered a more serious message.
"We wish you all the best, we know you've been training hard to get to where you are and I'm sure you'll have an awesome experience.
"To get to represent your country on the world stage, it's something we get to do, and it's pretty awesome."
Fairweather told 1 NEWS afterwards she was completely surprised, not just by Ta'avao's performance, but the All Blacks' presence in the first place.
"It was so lovely," she said.
"I was like, 'oh, hello, I didn't know you were coming!'."
Fairweather added she was caught off-guard by Ta'avao's rap but would be willing to put his status as a "freestyler" to the test.
"We might have to have a race next time at the pool!"
Ta'avao joked he'd be happy to take her on although he has a feeling he knows what the result would be in a race between an All Blacks prop and an Olympic swimmer.
"I was more alluding to the on-the-mic freestyle," he said.
"I'll give her a race, I'll probably get smoked, but I'm always up for it!"
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