All Blacks: Cursed Braid to continue tradition

Daniel Braid came off the bench at Murrayfield on Sunday, the same ground his father made his test debut. Photo / Getty Images

The affliction is hereditary and it's one Daniel Braid has grudgingly learned to live with - father and son were condemned to have fleeting involvements with the All Blacks.

Test caps for the Braid men have been rare commodities since Gary, an athletic though undersized lock, played both his internationals on the ill-fated tour of Scotland and England in 1983.

He only made the trip - and the starting line-up - because Andy Haden and Gary Whetton were unavailable and although picked to tour Australia the following year by then the Bay of Plenty stalwart was confined to the midweek side.

The return of Haden and Whetton plus the emergence of eventual World Cup-winning lock Murray Pierce ensured Braid senior's time at test level was brief- his eldest boy's frustrations have spanned eight seasons.

Unfortunate to specialise as an open side flanker in the Richie McCaw era, Braid made his test debut at Cardiff in 2002; he was then granted two token appearances against Tonga and Canada during the 2003 World Cup pool stage when McCaw was rested.

By then the future All Black captain was approaching the mythical status he currently enjoys - Marty Holah and Chris Masoe were condemned to the role of McCaw's irregular understudy while Braid was destined for provincial duties with Auckland and Super 12/14 rugby campaigns with the Blues.

His belated break came in 2008 when McCaw was injured and Holah and Masoe had gone overseas, tired of queuing behind the near indestructible presence at the breakdown.

Unfortunately for Braid his cameo will be best remembered as the perfect start to Robbie Deans' Bledisloe Cup reign with the Wallabies, Australia was so dominant in Sydney McCaw was rushed back the following week at Eden Park - the beginning of the All Blacks record 10-match winning sequence.

Braid, like Holah and Masoe before him, decided to head offshore at the end of that season and relocated to Brisbane as Queensland's marquee player.

The 29-year-old figured his test career was over, and it surely would of had he not suffered an Achilles injury which sabotaged a move to Wales.

Instead he rehabbed, fulfilled his contract with the Reds and was such as integral component to their resurgence in this year's Super 14 the All Black selectors' interest was piqued again.

Taking the hint, Braid returned to Auckland and after impressing in the domestic competition he was selected again as McCaw's deputy ahead of Tanerau Latimer, George Whitelock and a possible McCaw of the future, Matt Todd.

For Braid it was a welcome recall, but typically one not without a downside.

On previous Grand Slam tours in 2005 and 2008 McCaw would have been rested from the starting line-up - two years ago he was benched against Scotland - but Graham Henry's current desire for continuity means Braid, one if the game's most effective link men, was the last of the 29-man squad to log game time.

Braid was designated the final 23 minutes of the 49-3 rout of Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday when McCaw's night was done, precious moments considering Gary made his test debut on the same ground 27 years before.

"There was a little bit of history with Dad making his debut there so it was great to get out there.

"It took me a little bit of time to settle down, there were some nerves."

Braid remained on the bench at Hong Kong Stadium when the Wallabies finally snapped their Bledisloe Cup losing streak; the biggest disappointment came a few days later in London when Liam Messam was named as loose forward cover for the Twickenham test.

"The English match was tough after not getting on the field against Australia," he said, adding "every guy will have their moment" after non-selection.

Braid was unsure if he would get a start on tour - it seems unlikely against Ireland on Sunday because McCaw would eclipse Sean Fitzpatrick as the All Blacks most capped player on the ground where he started his illustrious career in 2001.

However, Braid was content with his lot, especially with the World Cup less than 12 months away.

Gary Braid runs the Kingslander pub across the road from Eden Park these days and naturally "he's looking forward to the World Cup" from a financial standpoint.

So is his boy, providing he's eventually cleaning out at a breakdown and not just propping up the bar.

- NZPA