His rise to the big time has come quickly, but the modest midfielder is the last to let you know about it.
"If you had told me this was going to happen two years ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of it," he said over the phone from Dunedin before his Taieri club rugby match on Saturday.
"I don't know how it will all pan out."
The former Otago Boys High School pupil is now studying for a commerce degree at the University of Otago, so is keeping level-headed and balanced about the call from coach Tony Brown and his fellow selectors.
He had been part of an extended squad of about 40 for a month and had a feeling he was up for selection, but was still surprised.
Making the national competition had come halfway through his first season playing Dunedin club rugby.
He is joined by five other Taieri players, including Otago Rugby sevens and NZ sevens squad member Kieran Moffatt.
"A few of the boys are in there, which is good.
"I'm enjoying the training.
"There's some really good people around me, and having played with these guys [club rugby players], I am learning a whole lot."
He and his team-mates have confirmed themselves in the club semifinals in three weeks' time, and if he makes the final cut for Otago, he will be straight into training the following Monday after what he hopes will be a final.
What do his parents think? "I haven't spoken to Mum and Dad, to be honest."
Ruth Collins was thrilled to see her son's hard work pay off.
"He's very humble, very modest and you certainly won't hear much of his achievements because he doesn't brandish it around.
"He's grown up with a ball in the hand - the three of them have."
Michael's brother Rhys (21) and sister Sophie (18) both play rugby and his brother supports him in Taieri backline.
"Michael puts the miles in and has the top two inches," Mrs Collins said.
"He's up at 6.30am, five days a week, training and then training after uni with the team.
"He's a pretty hard worker.
"We are very proud.
"He's been making great little leaps and bounds over the last few years.
"It's a big step for a Queenstown lad to do that."