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Stephen Donald - Source: Photosport -
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All Blacks first five-eight Stephen Donald may have delivered his best Test performance in Saturday's win against the Wallabies but it was his showmanship after the match that really caught the eye.
As far day as big days go, in the life of Stephen Donald, they surely don't come much bigger than July 18 2009.
After all, public unease heading into the opening Tri Nations Test match was at an all time high: Indeed, many were tipping the All Blacks to fall to the Wallabies after spluttering through June and it was Donald, more than any other player, who would be under close observation.
Here was a player, in his previous 10 Test matches, who had done little to satisfy the rugby public. Sure he made an impact when coming on to the field in last year's Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane but this was, as Joe public pointed out, with the assured influence of Daniel Carter by his side.
The French series only heightened the belief that he was out of his depth at international level and to compound things further, he went into the match with a dodgy hamstring.
Donald started off the Test tentatively. He missed two of his first three penalty goals and then had a shocking short kick charged down by Matt Giteau.
He almost made amends for an indifferent first half when he sliced through the Wallabies defensive line on the stroke of halftime but instead of passing to an unmarked Cory Jane, could only find a guy in gold.
The collective groan around Eden Park would have been hard for Donald to ignore but to his credit, the 25-year-old came out in the second half a different beast. He took the match by the scruff of the neck and closed out a tough Test win with poise in direction and goal kicking that few thought he was capable of.
It was Donald's finest half-hour and after the match coach Graham Henry was quick to point out that it was in fact his best Test performance - thanks for letting us know Graham.
So Donald, the much maligned first five-eight, was predictably a popular man in the post match press conference and this was when his true colours came out.
Saturday Night Live with Stephen Donald
"Were you nervous before the match," one scribe shouted out.
"If you're not getting nervous before one of these games you must be dead," Donald fired back as laughter quickly took hold in the comedian's corner.
"Because she is big time footy so you'll always be nervous."
A well known rugby writer from New Zealand's biggest newspaper was next to intervene.
"What did you do today to keep yourself in a normal pattern - did you go for a walk?"
"Yeah went for a walk this morning and hung out downtown there and just watched the world go by," Donald said playfully.
"And then watched some trashy Saturday TV to be fair and it kept me pretty much occupied."
"S o when you went downtown did you find a less populated place than normal or were there a lot of fingers pointing," the next hack asked.
"Well yeah I thought we'd done well when we headed upstairs to the Starbucks but as I was leaving I got a five minute pep talk from Joe Public - and that was good," Donald said as the flock erupted into giggles.
"Did they give you good advice?"
Donald now at ease with his audience was ready to land the killer blow.
"Oh yeah he was very supportive and said just play your natural game - New Zealand really is a great place like that," he said with a sack of sarcasm as laughter reached crescendo.
Smashing Stereotypes
In an age where livid cliches and mechanical responses pollute most
top rugby player's dialects it is refreshing to encounter a guy
like Stephen Donald.
This bloke is just one of the boys - down to earth and keen for a
laugh.
And while some may criticise this frivolity, rugby - like all sport
- is meant to be fun.
If he could play with as much confidence and showmanship as he
exudes to the media he would have shut the doubters up a long time
ago.
