Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt marvelled at prop James Slipper as he prepares for his 150th Test cap on Saturday against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Slipper will become the first Australian to reach this mark and the third all-time after Alun Wyn Jones and Sam Whitelock.
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The honour is almost exactly a year after the prop broke the long-standing Australian record set by scrumhalf George Gregan.
"That's phenomenal in terms of Test match footy. The thing I love about Slips is that he's still trying to get better," Schmidt told reporters.
"He's still working on his game to add a little bit more value to the team as best he can. He's a massive team man."
The match is filled with milestones, with scrumhalf Tate McDermott reaching 50 caps as Ryan Lonergan prepares for his first.
It's these moments and memories that are driving Schmidt as he enters the twilight of his coaching career with the Wallabies.
"You've never achieved anything because beyond your time, there's a guy who talks about turning the ship around, and it's about what you leave behind as much as what you do in the moment," he explained.
"I'd love to see Australia go on and be super competitive at the World Cup and that'll be beyond my time. So part of what I'm trying to do is set up a positive future to get some enthusiasm and that support is ubiquitous.
"It's everywhere that we go, whether it's on the Northern Tour or the Spring Tour coming up, just to make sure that we're building cohesion, that people are connected to the team. I love the way the team interacts with the community, like in Townsville, where they did a great job.
"There's a whole facet of things that I'd like to keep working on in the short term that I've got and they're a great bunch.
"So for me, seeing James Slipper achieve 150, Tate McDermott his 50th, if Ryan Lonergan comes off the bench to see him achieve what was a huge achievement for Ryan...There's those little rewards I think that keep you in coaching.
"Those rewards are sometimes not results. Those rewards are seeing people grow, support increase and the enjoyment the players get from the way they're playing."
