-
Otago's Tom Donnelly - Source: Photosport -
Related
Tom Donnelly's elevation to the All Blacks ranks earned a knowing nod from Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and also struck a blow for rugby's "older" generation.
Experienced lock Donnelly is the third-oldest New Zealand test debutant of the 144 in the professional era, beaten only by Canterbury prop Dave Hewett and Wellington lock Ross Filipo, who were 30 and 28 respectively for their first tests.
Saturday's Tri-Nations test against the Wallabies falls 12 days short of Donnelly's 28th birthday and rewards several seasons of trojan service for Otago and the Highlanders.
His heads-down bums-up efforts were recognised this year and last by places in wider All Blacks' squads but it hasn't quite been enough to leap on to the big stage.
His replacement of Isaac Ross in the middle of the lineout comes at a time when the forwards are under intense heat for that element of their game. But that doesn't seem to bother the hardy southerner.
"It's a part of the game that I really enjoy and thrive on," he said of the lineout.
"It's a great opportunity for me to show what I can do and see if I can help out at all."
One man who knows exactly what Donnelly can do is Deans, who plotted against him for several seasons in southern Super 14 derbies as coach of the Crusaders.
He had no doubt the 2m, 113kg hard man was ready for the step up.
"Tom is a good footballer, he has been playing Super rugby for a long time," Deans said.
"The one thing that you find with blokes on their debuts they play out of their skins. That's what we expect from him."
Born in Rotorua, Donnelly headed south in 2000 and one of his first games was a trial game where a teammate at hooker was Andrew Hore, the man he must establish a quick rapport with this week.
His debut for Otago in 2002 was followed by a Highlanders callup two years later, with forwards coach Steve Hansen impressed by his consistency at the coalface, including excellent showings for this year's Junior All Blacks.
"Tom's been in the Junior All Blacks over the last 3-4 years and he's just been knocking on the door all the time," Hansen said.
"His aerial skills are good and his scrum as well. They're things we're looking for, obviously, and he gets round the park.
"If you're going to replace someone like Isaac, you need your aerial skills and you probably get the physical stuff (with Donnelly) a little bit better than Isaac does at the moment."
Donnelly only heard the good news this morning while Hansen was going through lineout moves, "so I thought I'd better start listening".
"I got a couple of runs in the pack yesterday (at training) but that didn't really have any other clue.
"I thought I might be a shot of making the bench but I didn't think I'd be starting."
He had begun to wonder if an All Blacks jersey was slipping from his grasp, particularly when Ross leapfrogged a host of contenders at the start of this year to replace the injured Ali Williams.
"I had the opportunity a couple of years ago to head overseas but I decided to stay in New Zealand and chase the All Black jersey," Donnelly said.
"At the start of the year I stopped worrying about it so much and just played footy. I played a little better for that.
"I just take each day as it comes now, I don't really think too far ahead."
He said the All Blacks' lineout shortcomings this year had been partly forced on them by an outstanding South African pack.
New Zealand's efforts improved markedly in the second half of their loss to the Springboks at Hamilton and Donnelly hoped he could simply fit into that successful formula.
He was well versed with the methods of Wallabies locks Mark Chisolm and James Horwill from Super 14 stoushes and hoped that would hold him in good stead.
Rugby Video
-
All Blacks clean up Halbergs (1:54)
-
Sevens star Gear fits in at Highlanders (1:49)
-
France vs Ireland - Series 1, Episode 1 (1:17:18)
