All Blacks: Braid back after longest drought (+ EXCLUSIVE VIDEO, photos)

Daniel Braid (L) will equal Xavier Rush's record for the longest wait between test appearances on Saturday. Photos / Mark Mitchell, Richard Robinson

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Your Views From Sydney - Bledisloe Cup

It must be an Auckland loose forward thing.

Daniel Braid will equal the record for an All Blacks drought between test appearances when he plays against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

A total of 57 tests have been played since openside flanker Braid last pulled on the black jersey, against Tonga at the 2003 World Cup.

It matches the number of tests that former Auckland and Blues teammate Xavier Rush missed between his debut against Australia in 1998 and his recall at No 8 against England in 2004.

Braid said his smiling teammates from Auckland were this week calling him Xavier to acknowledge the achievement.

Two other Auckland-based loose forwards round out the top five absenteeisms in New Zealand test history.

Lock/loose forward Troy Flavell missed 51 tests between 2001 and 2006 while Mark Carter was absent for 46 between 1991 and 1997.

Current lock Brad Thorn endured a sizeable drought after returning to rugby league following the 2003 World Cup. He was recalled this year after a 48-test hiatus.

Former lock Mark Cooksley has a greater test gap than them all, missing 67 between 1994 and 2001, but he played several midweek matches during that period.

In terms of time, every All Black is eclipsed by Southland hooker Ned Hughes, who wasn't sighted in a test for more than 13 years - a period that spanned World War One.

He played against the British Lions at Carisbrook in 1908 and was picked to return at that ground against South Africa in 1921 at the age of 40, making him the oldest player in All Blacks history.

LONGEST ALL BLACKS PLAYING DROUGHT

57: Daniel Braid (2003-08), Xavier Rush (1998-2004)
51: Troy Flavell (2001-06)
48: Brad Thorn (2003-08)
46: Mark Carter (1991-97)
41: Greg Cooper (1986-92)

Longest gap between tests in terms of time since 1950:
Mark Cooksley 6yrs 11mths 25days (1994-01)
Rush - 5/9/14
Cooper - 5/7/26
Carter - 5/7/18
Flavell - 4/9/9
Laurie Mains - 4/9/22 (1971-76)
Braid - 4/9/2
Thorn - 4/6/17

- NZPA

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