Donald at home on the 'big stage'
Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:16
Stephen Donald, despite having already left his mark in the Air New Zealand Cup and Super 14 competitions, still had doubts that he could make it onto the big stage - Test rugby.
However, a sublime 30 minutes in New Zealand's come-from-behind 28-24 Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup triumph over Australia in Brisbane at the weekend has answered at least one question for the 24-year-old first five-eighths.
Donald says he will long remember the contribution he made when coming on at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane - with Dan Carter ,moving out to inside centre (second five-eighth) in the place of Ma'a Nonu and Donald playing in the flyhalf channel.
Being part of the All Blacks' comeback - from a 7-17 deficit to win 28-24 victory - was a very special occasion for them man who played a key role in the side's revival.
Being back-up to Carter since joining the All Black squad this year meant that opportunities were always going to be limited, but Donald relished the chance when it came at the weekend.
"I thought this is the big stage, the big opportunity and we're still behind," Donald told sportal.co.nz.
It was a case of wanting to go out and earn respect from the other 21 players in the side and he felt he hadn't done that yet.
He wanted to show that he deserved to be an All Black.
"I feel pretty stoked, I've drunk out of the Bledisloe Cup for the first time and the Tri-Nations trophy and I guess I feel like a genuine All Black. I feel I have genuinely contributed today. She was nervous times but with the result I feel pretty proud."
The game marked a significant step in his international development as it had given him the confidence that he belonged.
"You always have doubts about whether you are ready for this level when you haven't proven yourself and you always think 'Am I ready to take this step?' so it is a pretty special feeling right now," he said.
Donald said the time he had on the field during the Samoan Test, nearly 40 minutes, had helped a lot in being ready for Brisbane.
"I wanted to spend time in the jersey. I didn't think I went that well against Samoa, there was a few things I wanted to work on but 40 minutes against Samoa as against 30 minutes against Aussie on this stage it doesn't really compare."
He said the time helped but he took confidence from training during the week in the lead-up to the Brisbane outing and it had turned out all right.
"But it is another world out here in a Tri-Nations game," he said.
