All Blacks: Donald knows he's in Boks' sights

All Black Stephen Donald hasn't started a match at second five-eighths in six years. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Stephen Donald is in no doubt he has a target on his back to complement the No 12 that will adorn his All Blacks rugby jersey against the Springboks in Hamilton on Saturday.

Donald's enormously challenging season took another twist when he was asked to start the high stakes Tri-Nations test at second five-eighth.

Having already been called on this year to fill the boots of first five-eighth maestro Daniel Carter - with mixed results - Chiefs playmaker Donald must now perform in a position where he hasn't started any game for six years.

And outside him is No 12 regular Ma'a Nonu, whose last test start at centre was nearly three years ago, against England at Twickenham.

The pair must contain dangerous Springboks midfielders Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie, who were explosive when taking on the line in both Tri-Nations tests in Australia.

They badly exposed a new-look Wallabies midfield of Adam Ashley-Cooper and Ryan Cross in their win at Perth, and Donald anticipated he would be in their sights at Waikato Stadium.

"Most games they go into they send their big boys hurtling down the inside channels," Donald said.

"I expect they will have a lick there early."

Donald said second five-eighths could usually expect a similar defensive workload to first five-eighths, although there were subtle differences.

"You just have to worry about wingers coming around the back more than when you do at 10. Your tackling doesn't change any, it is all about making the right decisions on who you are picking up really."

Donald's posting has dominated post-selection discussion, with backline coach Wayne Smith admitting to an air of uncertainty around Donald and Nonu's ability to quickly gel.

"There was an element of risk whoever we selected with the number of players out. Who knows, I'm hoping it will come off," Smith said.

Starting veteran fullback Mils Muliaina at centre had been considered, but Smith said a strong performance from the Carter-Donald-Nonu axis in the last half hour of their 19-18 defeat of Australia last month had sent a strong signal.

Carter and Donald have heeded coach Graham Henry's call that they communicate better than the last time they paired up to start a test, against the Wallabies in Hong Kong nearly a year ago.

Donald started at first five-eighth that day and struggled, getting hooked for Nonu with 30 minutes remaining.

Carter believed Donald's confidence and communication had improved considerably since that outing, in which the Waikato man clammed up too much for Henry's liking.

"I definitely have noticed some progression since he first started," Carter said.

"I think he does it really well with Waikato. He demands things from players around them and he is really grown into that role with this team.

"(But) I thought it was a bit tough that he wasn't getting that good a ball in that game (Hong Kong). It was a tough ask for him."

Carter liked having a quality kicking option alongside him - Nonu's kicking game is non-existent - and expected the Springboks back three wouldn't be so happy.

"Especially for fullbacks, they don't know which way we are going to kick," Carter said.

"It does take a bit of weight off the shoulders and having a left foot, right foot combination does make it a tough life for opponents. It has worked well in the past when I have played with other five-eighths."

The Springboks were to name their team today, with doubt surrounding winger Bryan Haban a (hamstring) and No 8 Pierre Spies (groin).

Lock Bakkies Botha is still recovering from a minor knee injury but is expected to be named.

Meanwhile, it didn't escape rugby trainspotters around the All Blacks camp that yesterday marked the exact halfway point between two World Cups.

The 2007 tournament in France kicked off on September 7 while the 2011 version in New Zealand will start on September 9 - two years from today.

- NZPA