Rated so highly by Graham Henry that he was named in the first Test squad ahead of Jono Gibbes, Ryan only made his international debut for the All Blacks against Fiji in early June.

Henry pitched him in to that game to see how he would adapt to playing at the highest level and the confirmation that he had done enough to impress came when the Otago man relegated the more experienced Gibbes out of the first-choice AB squad.

Improving with every game, Ryan has played just one season in the Super 12 competition but has long been seen as 'one for the future' and helped New Zealand win the Under-21 World Cup last year.