The journey from young pup to old bull has happened in the blink of an eye for Scott Sio.
The star Wallabies loosehead will earn his 50th Test cap when he runs onto Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday morning (AEST) and that milestone - according to Tatafu Polota-Nau - signals the start of veteran status.
The 50 Test milestone is nothing to be sneezed at but Sio is the ultimate pro and is only after one present this weekend.
"It's obviously a very proud (moment) and a huge achievement and a huge milestone," Sio said.
"But I've always been a big believer that winning is the most important thing for us as a team.
"We need to keep growing as a team, keep moving in the right direction and we have to win."
It does only seem like yesterday that Sio was making his Test debut.
That match - the 2013 Sydney Bledisloe - was special but it took two years of hard graft for Sio to crack the starting XV.
The hard work paid off as his starting debut against the All Blacks in Sydney two years later doubled as his fondest memory in Wallaby gold.
"That was pretty amazing for me," Sio said.
"My starting debut against the All Blacks in Sydney in front of my family.
"To come away with the win there was pretty special.
"I've got a lot of great memories in this jersey but I want to continue to build and continue to create new memories down the track so I have an abundance of them to look back on."
The star Brumbies prop has been a fixture in the Australian fold from that point forward.
As an older, wiser figure in the Wallabies setup Sio has picked up a few tips and tricks along the way.
"Down the track I have learnt that you have to be able to adapt a lot quicker on the run," he said.
"With the rule changes in the scrums it became very evident that everyone has their own style of scrummaging and that you need to be across the athletic part of the game.
"You need to be studying your opponent and that's something from then until now that I appreciate a lot more.
"I really get behind the computer and study what's to come."
And while he may currently be sporting a shiner caused by some friendly fire from Taniela Tupou at training this week the 26-year-old hopes his body will allow him to play many years into the future.
"(I was) quite young and enthused back then but I have had a few injuries as well," he said.
"I have just prepared my body as best I can."
The Wallabies face the Springboks in Port Elizabeth on Sunday morning AEST, kicking off at 1:05am, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS.
