 In 1978 he was reserve All Black halfback for the three-match series against the Wallabies in New Zealand, but didn’t get on the field.He finally got the chance to don the black jersey in the tour to Great Britain at the end of the year, and on October 21, 1978, made his debut against Cardiff at Cardiff Arms Park.He played his first test match when first-choice halfback Mark Donaldson was stung with an ankle injury and ruled out of the match against Wales.