This is a dream born out of Bradford. This is one Elliott Whitehead has been yearning for - and the reality of the tough test that awaits is music to his ears.
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The 30-year-old will pull on the Great Britain Lions jersey against an invitational Tonga team that was almost left without their biggest names following a fallout with the national board.
Alas, the two sides will meet in Hamilton on Saturday to mark one of the most significant occasions in Whitehead's journey that has taken him around the world.
"Pulling the shirt on is going to be a big moment in my career. I've always wanted to do it and I get the opportunity to do it, so looking forward to that," Whitehead said.
"A lot of great players have played in that shirt before and hopefully we can make them proud and get the result we want.
"It's going to be a tough ask, I know Tonga have some great players and they've got some great individuals as well that we have to watch out for.
"They've got some quality players, some of the best players in the NRL play in that team. Back in 2017 at the World Cup they showed what a force they are.
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"I know what they can create in the middle, they're some big blokes, so hopefully we can control them and play to our game plan which hopefully will work and tire them out."
There could be no better man to set the tone than James Graham as he prepares to become the eighth player to record 50 Test matches in the clash against the Tongan side.
It is a milestone which puts him among some of rugby league's finest - and coach Wayne Bennett knows he belongs there having worked with a who's who in the 13-man code.
"He's right up the top with the best of them. He's very passionate, very good. It's a pleasure to have him," Bennett said.
The Test is the first of four matches the Lions will play in their first tour since 2007, but they're without Sam Burgess and Sean O'Loughlin.
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"But the team won't miss a beat with James," Bennett said.
"Fifty Test matches for England and Great Britain's quite a remarkable achievement. Very few have done it.
"But at the same time, all the noise and fuss about it and making a big deal about it, it just distracts everybody about what they've got to do.
"We don't want to do that. He's a great team player, that's how he thinks. I think the same way."
Former Scotland international Lachlan Coote will wear the No.1 for the Lions, while reigning Man of Steel winner Jackson Hastings is the halfback.
The dispute forced the International Rugby League to step in and suspend the board, ensuring the likes of Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo would play.
"There's a lot of good players in that team. A lot of guys who have got great reputations and the great majority, if not all, play in the NRL," Bennett said.
"There's one from England I think, but outside that, I think the rest of them are all NRL players. They're all quality and they'll be a quality footy team.
"They've played some good football in the last couple of years."
- With AAP
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
