Colin Slade turned 24 today, but celebrations won't be on the agenda after his World Cup was cut short by a groin injury.
Stephen Donald and Hosea Gear are the latest additions to the All Blacks' squad following Slade's injury - which is uncannily similar to Dan Carter's - and fullback Mils Muliaina's fractured shoulder.
Only days after All Blacks' coach Graham Henry spoke of putting his faith in Slade's abilities, today he backed 21-year-old Aaron Cruden as his first-choice first-five.
Henry said Cruden, who only joined the squad last week following Carter's injury, is likely to be given the job at No 10 in Sunday's semifinal against Australia, and Piri Weepu would remain at halfback following his outstanding performance in the quarter-final victory against Argentina.
"I thought he [Weepu] played pretty well,'' Henry said. "And also he can navigate the side from there [halfback] because that's his best position, that's where he feels most comfortable and having a young 10 with him, I think it's very important that he takes over the navigating of the side, the running of the team.
"Keeping Aaron Cruden off his skateboard has been the major thing,'' Henry added. "Last week he was skateboarding around Palmerston North and having a couple of beers and watching us play. Now he's the number one 10 in the country. So it's a big change obviously and a major challenge for him but I thought he handled the situation particularly well when he went on.''
Henry wasn't joking about the skateboard. Cruden had major strapping on a knee in the Argentina match and Henry confirmed that that was due to a graze after a skateboard slip-up.
Both Slade and Muliaina have been forced to leave just when they were on the brink of proving a thing or two. For Slade, it was his chance to show he is the next best first-five in New Zealand, and 31-year-old Muliaina, who celebrated 100 tests in the Argentina match, is leaving to play club rugby in Japan and won't get to add to his tally.
Muliaina was visibly upset when he said today: "I know I won't be back. I'm just proud to be a Kiwi and proud to be an All Black.''
Getting to 100 tests has softened the blow slightly he said, adding he would miss the people the most.
"What other job can you get people out of their seats and cheering you on?''
Henry said of the reactions of the injured pair. "It's a difficult situation. They can't stay with the team. The replacements are coming in. Hosea Gear and Stephen Donald join the team tomorrow morning and the reason why they are joining the team tomorrow morning is so we can say goodbye to these guys correctly.''
Donald has signed a three-year contract with English club Bath but his NZRU contract dictated that he had to stay in the country in case of an injury in the World Cup. He last wore the black jersey against Wales in last year's end of year tour when he come on as a reserve in a 37-25 victory. In 22 tests he has scored 95 points.
It's a big reprieve for him. Most thought his All Blacks' career was over following a disastrous match in the defeat to the Wallabies in Hong Kong last October.
Gear played in this year's Tri-Nations but was dropped from the World Cup squad along with fellow wing Sitiveni Sivivatu. He has played eight tests for the All Blacks after making his debut in 2008 against the Wallabies in Hong Kong.
Henry said fullback Israel Dagg and wing Richard Kahui were likely to be available to play Australia following their respective haematoma and hamstring injuries.