Isaac Te Aute may be the smallest bloke in the All Blacks Sevens squad currently training in Mount Maunganui, but the youngster certainly doesn't look out of place. In fact, he often towers above his team mates with his blinding speed.

Less than three months ago, the Rotorua Boys' High School student scored a brilliant 60m individual try that propelled his team to victory in the secondary school's 1^st XV championships.

Isaac Te Aute in full flight at the All Blacks Sevens' training camp at Blake Park, Mount Maunganui. Photos: Greg Taipari.

It also got him noticed by All Blacks Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens – and now the 19-year-old's name has become a regular fixture when the squad is announced.

But has fame gone to the head of to the Tuhoe/Te Arawa descendant? Definitely not – in fact it seems to have grounded the quietly spoken, well-mannered youngster.

'I'm really enjoying it,” admits Isaac. 'It's been a bit of a dream of mine since I was young to play rugby like this.

'To be able to do it now is pretty unbelievable. It hasn't been easy, because there is a lot to take in from the professionalism and learning the game-orientated stuff off the field.

'It's been pretty hard, but for me I'm just learning from the squad, following them and observing what they do.”

The youngster is part of the All Blacks Sevens squad training at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui for the next four days, prior to the team's departure for the Dubai Sevens.

Isaac is one of three Bay players currently training in the squad, and he is joined by Papamoa-based captain Scott Curry and Mount player Teddy Stanaway.

Teddy Stanaway.

Scott told SunLive that Isaac and Teddy had settled nicely into the team environment.

'It's good to have a couple more Bay boys in there,” he says. 'Isaac has played a couple of warm up tournaments and Teddy got a bit of a run at the Oceania qualifier up in Auckland.

'He impressed Tietj, so he's been rewarded with a contract.”

Although the skipper is carrying a hamstring injury and wasn't able to take part in full training, Scott says he is confident he will be ready for Dubai.

All Blacks Sevens captain Scott Curry.

Meanwhile, Sir Gordon took the squad through a rigorous training session in the Mount Maunganui sunshine in preparation for Thursday's squad announcement ahead of the Dubai trip.

It's clear to see why Isaac was chosen – his ball handling skills and step and pace is electrifying, while his ability to beat a man is only believable if you witness it first-hand.

There is no time for Isaac to rest, and he's expected to work hard in every session and take every opportunity. Come January, the squad will welcome the likes of Sonny Bill Williams and Beauden Barrett.

Isaac says it would be great to be able to play alongside the likes of SBW.

'I guess it just motivates me even more,” he declares. 'To be able to play alongside them gives me motivation and is an inspiration for me.”

It's also been a real turnaround for Teddy. The strapping Mount player hasn't been able to play rugby this year due to concussion issues, so he admits the call up for the sevens squad was exciting.

'It was pretty surreal,” he explains. 'I've just come back from a head injury and to get back on the field three or four weeks ago was surreal. I had my daughters on the side-line cheering me on, so it was amazing.”

The squad train at Blake Park again tomorrow, Thursday and Friday before flying out to Dubai on Sunday.