Kane Hames Didn't Even Have a Club Contract in March. Now He's an All Black.

If you headed down to the TAB at the start of the year and put a speculating ten bucks on the chances of Kane Hames making the All Blacks this year, you might have enough for an Auckland house deposit this week.

Just kidding – no one can afford that. But you get the point: no one had Hames on their international rugby radar this season.

Yet the 27-year-old Chiefs prop has made the bench for tomorrow night's All Blacks test against Australia in Sydney.

Hell, Hames didn't even have a Super Rugby team at the start of the season. It's been quite a ride since.

Hames' semi-pro rugby career started with Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship in 2013.

His performances for the Steamers caught the eye of Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, and the young front rower got a two-year contract in the Deep South.

Yet, after 20 games for the 'Landers, Hames was without a Super Rugby contract at the start of the year. He was mulling over a contract offer in France when Chiefs bench prop Pauliasi Manu ruptured his Achilles tendon in training in March.

The Hamilton-based franchise gave the two-time Maori All Blacks rep a ring, and he turned in one of the most consistent seasons by a Kiwi front rower in Super Rugby this year.

A neck injury to Crusaders prop Joe Moody saw Hames pulled into the All Blacks as cover. With Moody still not right for Sydney, Hames got a spot on the pine for the first Bledisloe Cup test of the year.

If you're the betting type, and are still caught in the fantasy of buying a house in Auckland, maybe put down a tener on Hames scoring a try in Sydney tomorrow.

Just kidding: you still won't be able to afford a house in Aucks.