Kurtley Beale was asked if he still possessed that 'X-factor' that made him a mercurial marvel for the Wallabies for so long and he couldn't help but beam: "What do you reckon?!"
For at the grand old age of 37, the evergreen maverick talent may be pinching himself at being brought into the squad for Australia's northern hemisphere leg of the Rugby Nations Championship, but he's adamant he never lost belief he'd be back one day.
And as he reflected on his shock comeback to the green-and-gold at the Wallabies' Teddington HQ on Tuesday, Beale wasn't just musing on the possibility of a first Test outing for five years against England at nearby Twickenham on Sunday but even pondering a shot at a fourth World Cup on home soil next year.
"Very honoured, and very humbling to be back," beamed Beale, who's in the extraordinary position of being in the national squad while only on a season-long 'train-and-trial' deal with Western Force.
But coach Les Kiss has made it clear Beale, who's replaced Hunter Paisami, is not in Europe to hold the pads, with the utility back himself reiterating. "I was still pinching myself on the flight over ... but my role now is to create some competition within the team.
"It's been a been a while now since I've been in the squad, but I've been working really hard.
"I just kept believing to be able to get another opportunity, and obviously started that with the Force, I've been chipping away at my work there, and really, really excited to be back and to add some value to the group."
Asked if he ever felt, especially after his June 2024 Achilles rupture for Randwick that had many penning his rugby-playing obituary, that his Wallabies' days were done, Beale reflected: "No, with my experience, being in and around the Force and Super Rugby, I always thought I was able to still add to the group, to the game.
"I just kept believing. I felt like there was some unfinished business, but I guess the focus was always on trying to make sure my body was right and my mind in a good headspace.
"I've had great support with my family, my wife, and two kids, so I'm very blessed there, and really grateful that I'm here to be able to be amongst the the lads, taking on some great nations up here. It's another exciting opportunity."
Extraordinarily, it's now 17 years since the equivalent 2009 tour when Beale made his debut as a 20-year-old replacement wing to help Australia beat Wales in Cardiff, and the year later he scored two tries at Twickenham in a losing cause.
Now, just a couple of months away from his 38th birthday with 95 caps and 19 tries under his belt, he still fancies he has that old ability to unlock defences with a bit of unpredictable Beale magic.
Pressed on whether that X-factor as still there, he said: "I feel like if if I'm training well, doing all the one percenters off the field over my role strategy, but if I'm adding value, I'm feeling good, then, a hundred per cent.
"I do feel like if I can be physically prepped, then I'm able to kind of go out there and just react to the game in front of me.
"Along with pinching myself, I feel ready. I genuinely feel really excited for the opportunity ... Body's feeling good, I'm physically and mentally good to go, and I've always built myself to be ready, so that if an opportunity came, I'm able to take it."
Asked if he had an eye on the 2027 World Cup, he admitted: "Absolutely. It's always been a motivation of mine, but I'm not getting too far ahead of myself, and I'm just making sure I'm at my best here for the team, helping out wherever I can."
