All Blacks driven around Nelson by former 12-Test prop Bill Bush

After the rollercoaster of a year the All Blacks have had, they won't be short on advice ahead of the Northern Tour.

That’s partly due to their bus driver this week in Nelson who knows a thing or two about pulling on the black jersey.

In fact, it would be fair to say former All Blacks prop Bill Bush may have spent more time at the back of the team bus than driving it after a 12-Test career in the 1970s.

Bush told 1News he hadn’t planned the link up either.

“My boss rang me up and said, ‘can you go up to Nelson?’ and I said, ‘what for?’ and he said, ‘the All Blacks are up there’.”

Bush played for the All Blacks for six years where amassed 37 matches for the side, including his 12 internationals.

In fact, Bush was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby in the 1996 Queen’s Birthday Honours before he was made a life member of New Zealand Māori Rugby Board last year as well having also represented, coached and selected for Māori All Blacks during his career.

Bush told 1News a lot has changed since his playing days though.

“It’s really interesting how everything is done down to detail and planned out. Not like in our day,” he said.

But an All Black is an All Black regardless of the generation and Bush had some advice for the team ahead of their departure for Tokyo and the Northern Hemisphere.

“They're under pressure a wee bit, like we were in 1978 when we did the Grand Slam tour.

“We got written off, the worst team that ever was selected. And we went away and proved them wrong.

“I've mentioned it to them that they can do it, they've just got to pull together themselves.”

Current All Black Leicester Fainga'anuku said the team couldn’t believe their luck in getting Bush this week.

“It's pretty special ,he's been hanging around the team room and hanging around with the boys,” Fainga’anuku said.

“We don't get often an ex-All Black being a bus driver so it's quite special for us and obviously for us young boys that don't really quite know the legacy of the All Blacks and the times they've had.

“It's awesome to be able to grab some knowledge off him.”

All Blacks coach Ian Foster said the side had plenty of respect for Bush this week too – maybe a little too much.

“I think he took the wrong turn on the first time and everyone on the bus was too scared to tell him he'd taken the wrong turn because we'd all seen videos of what he was like as a player!”

Bush joked he was taking them for “a ride around Nelson” as he came to terms with the fact that not all his advice was being taken on board.

“They've got their own music and that's really loud - all that funky stuff you don't understand!”

One thing Bush did understand though – getting the team to the airport in time to wrap up the special week.