It was music to New Zealand ears. They had won the final of the U19s tournament that was staged in Ireland in 2007, and it was only natural that they carried over that success into the following year at U20s level with a 38-3 win in the final in Wales in June 2008.
Stevenson's natural game is an uncanny ability to prize open defence with a combination of swift footwork and calculated, intuitive running. His kicking has grown but there is a persistent narrative that he struggles defensively.
This was the year when two worlds collided and morphed into one. Prior to 2008, World Rugby – known as IRB at the time – used to run World Cups at U21s and U19s.
Under the stewardship of Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown, the Highlanders emerged from Super Rugby cellar-dwellers to genuine title contenders throughout the 2010s. So, who makes their team of the decade?