Week two with the Maori All Blacks and the players are champing at the bit to play another match in Japan.
We've transitioned from the sedate and suburban surroundings of Kobe to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
This might be adding to the buzz the boys are feeling after their 61-21 win over the Brave (but bruised) Blossoms.
The team didn't come away from the battle between two cultures unscathed, though.
Ash Dixon, a noted leader in the team, was sent home with a fractured forearm and the emotion upon his departure was pretty moving.
Being a part of this team means a lot to the boys.
He was respectfully farewelled and now the team must focus on the next goal - another dominating performance against the Japanese this Saturday would be ideal so that the legacy of the team can continue to grow.
So, corked thighs, twisted ankles, sore ribs and tired lungs must go through the process of rest, elevation, ice and treatment.
Tweaks to the technical and tactical components of the game are also made by the coaches and this is the time for the doctor, physio and trainer to step up and get the team humming again.
It is amazing what a good win can do for the collective confidence and recovery process. Everyone seems happy.
Everyone, that is, except the Japanese.
I sat in the Noevir Stadium with more than 20,000 Japanese spectators and for much of the game you could have heard a pin drop.
I sang the national anthem at the top of my lungs, thinking they'd do the same, but I'd just committed a cultural faux pas.
Obviously, singing loud and proud isn't the way all cultures show their national pride.
There was a bit more outwardly displayed emotion when the haka began, and every time the players paused for effect the crowd would clap in appreciation, thinking the posture dance had come to an end.
The game was fast-paced and there wasn't a single scrum until at least 30 minutes into the game.
Just as well, really, because the indoor grass carpet the teams were playing on wouldn't have coped with too many sprigs digging into the ground under extreme pressure.
At halftime, people would scurry out and replace divots and fill holes created by the 30 burly men.
The Japanese crowd became a bit more vocal in the second half but this was mainly due to the fact that their team would almost score after what seemed like an eternity of hit-ups, only to have one of the Maori All Blacks scoop up a loose ball, chip-kick and retrieve the ball effortlessly and run all the way to the other end of the field to score.
This meant the shrieks of excitement were soon followed by groans of disappointment.
What I have learnt is that the Japanese people are very proud and do not like to be embarrassed, and after 10 wins in a row I think they expected a better outcome than the 61-21 trouncing they got.
I've forgotten how much fun it can be to be a part of a team.
There is often a lot of down time while travelling and recovering, so the team are entertained by an ''information'' committee who share interesting facts.
There are games like ''freeze'' and ''prankster' to keep everyone on their toes and to hone their peripheral vision, creativity and innovative skills.
There are cultural sessions almost every night where the players learn a little bit more about Maori culture, and there are the opportunities to see and do things in Japan like visit the restaurant where Kill Bill was filmed, and take in the sights and sounds that make Tokyo, with its population of more than 13 million, such an exciting place.
It's not just about having fun.
The players switch on when they have to, and the coaches are beavering away behind the scenes making selection decisions and adjusting their game plan.
Often, the sign of good management and leadership is the ''invisibility' of it, and that seems to be the case here.
So far, things are going smoothly and there have been no problems.
The players, however, are starting to get fidgety and want to get back on the field.
The team to play on Saturday will be announced soon and then there will be a change in the atmosphere.
People will put their game faces back on, and players will think less about cashews and more about crashing tackles.
Ah, the Maori rugbyhead in me is in Maori rugby heaven.
