Chastised by coach Steve Hansen for having "gone missing" in his second Super Rugby season, the TV cameras were rolling when the 23-year-old was put through gruelling extra fitness sessions at an All Blacks training camp in May.
"Not fit enough," barked Hansen when asked why the loose forward was being pushed to the point of exhaustion and beyond by conditioning coach Nic Gill while the rest of the squad were in recovery mode.
"Those were definitely some fun times," the softly spoken Luatua told reporters with tongue firmly in cheek on Thursday after being named to start against South Africa in Saturday's Rugby Championship test.
"I quite enjoy running, especially with the coach on your back and when Nic Gill is making up drills just to try and smash you."
Luatua's lack of fitness meant he was initially overlooked for the June test series against England but then brought into the squad as cover for injured number eight Kieran Read.
Another injury, to Victor Vito, opened the door for his inclusion in the Rugby Championship squad and he impressed enough to be named on the bench for the clash Australia at Eden Park, where he scored the final try in a 51-20 victory.
Injuries to lock Sam Whitelock and loose forward Liam Messam last week against Argentina opened yet another door for Luatua and his redemption was complete on Thursday when he was named starting blindside flanker.
"It showed us that he really wants to be here doesn't it?" Hansen said.
"He learned the hard way and hopefully he can carry that through for the rest of his career. He certainly worked hard and now we expect him to play that way."
Injuries to Whitelock, Messam and Jerome Kaino played a factor in the inclusion of Luatua, while Hansen said he had also considered picking Sam Cane at openside flanker and shifting captain Richie McCaw to the number six jersey.
"We had a discussion about it but in the end his ability in the lineout, his aerial skills won the day and earned him his selection," Hansen said of the 1.96m-tall flanker.
"Steven is very good in the air. Ricko and Sammy aren't too bad but they're not in the same class as Steven."
Luatua, who appeared in 11 of New Zealand's 14 matches last year, said a quiet word Hansen had with him behind closed doors had also helped him get back into the test team.
Hansen told him in simple terms that to be an All Black meant he had to want it more than anyone else and to be able to push beyond what he thought were his physical limits.
"I think it helped me," Luatua said.
"He was asking questions, 'What was up with my workrate?', 'Why I wasn't doing this?', and I just had to try and answer them.
"They're looking for an All Black who can work through pain and can find that resolve and it's why we're here. Guys have that inner steel to push through pain.
"I just needed a bit of a reminder."
(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
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