From Mataura to All Black captain in four short years: Justin Marshall is a privileged young man. There's probably no greater honour in New Zealand than leading out the All Blacks in a Test, and ever since Christ was a carpenter it seemed no one other than Sean Fitzpatrick was destined to do it.

Suddenly, the baton has passed on, but Marshall appears unfazed. He looks and sounds ready made for the role, and dealt with his first, ad hoc press conference and television interview in the foyer of the Burlington Hotel with the aplomb of a veteran and the chattiness of a talk show host.

"They're unfortunate circumstances to get the captaincy role in. Everyone's feeling for Fitzie at the moment. It's been a long, long time since he didn't lead the All Blacks out. That will be at the back of my mind, but the side leads itself anyway. I'm looking forward to it. It won't affect my game. I'll just play it like I play any other match."

Modesty allows him to admit that his position decrees a certain amount of decision-making anyway. But with the likes of Zinzan Brooke, Ian Jones and Taine Randell (all provincial captains) in front of him, and Canterbury half-back partner Andrew Mehrtens outside him, he self-deprecatingly adds, "Tactically everybody is sound. All I've got is a little `c' beside my name. It doesn't worry me too much."

Having succeeded Graeme Bachop by supplanting Stu Forster against France two years ago this week, Marshall has made the scrum-half position his own. Nine tries in 19 Tests puts him within one try of Syd Going's record for an All Black scrum-half. Although his captaincy experience is limited, the 81-3 defeat of Llanelli was an easy introduction.

"I'm well aware that the quality of opposition on Saturday is going to be far superior," he says. "We all have to play a lot better, and also the decision-making and the pressure will be harder. But it's not a major worry. The team can look after itself, with me perhaps to point at the posts when we think we need a try, or whatever."

Another with a hard act to follow is Andrew Blowers, who makes his full Test debut in place of Josh Kronfeld after two appearances as a replacement against South Africa last year.

Blowers is a softly-spoken, modest, unassuming, Aucklander of Western Samoan parentage who still seemed amazed by his selection over his awesome rival and close friend. "I naturally really feel for Josh, because we're really good mates. But in saying that, I've been given an opportunity and it's up to me to go out and take it."

Kronfeld had been one of the first to congratulate Blowers. "He just said `Go for it'. That really meant something to me coming from Josh," added an almost starry-eyed Blowers. "I'm just really looking forward to giving it my best shot against the passionate Irish, because they are passionate."

Another "really good friend" is the absent and injured flanker Michael Jones. Blowers is certainly different to Kronfeld and brings a quicker, looser footballing style to the open side flanker slot, though he may be less effective on the ground.

Like Jones, though (whose religious beliefs prevent him from playing on Sundays), Blowers' faith helped him through a trying time earlier this season when stress fractures in his back threatened his career. "I'm a strong believer in God and I always have him on my side. It was quite scary, but to tell you the truth I had no doubts."

Though he played for a Western Samoan side on tour in Australia, Blowers has long since been an eye-catching product of the New Zealand system, playing for the national schools, under-17, under19 and Colts teams, as well as their Sevens, and was the outstanding young back-row the season before last with Auckland and the Auckland Blues.

This day was a case of when, rather than if, and that it comes against Ireland genuinely thrills him. "From what I've seen, growing up as a young boy and watching the Irish play at Lansdowne Road, they're just so passionate, and with the crowd behind them they're just going to lift their game from 100 per cent to 200 per cent. It's just going to be such a tough game."

Meanwhile, a polite request from New Zealand journalists for an interview with Kronfeld were just as politely rejected by the All Blacks' media liaison, Jane Dent. Josh wanted some space to himself over the next few days.