KEY POINTS:
Stephen Donald isn't getting caught up in all the hype.
A stand-out performance against the Crusaders and growing speculation over the futures of Dan Carter and Nick Evans have sparked a rapid and somewhat remarkable transformation in the Chiefs playmaker's public standing.
In just six short weeks his
image has gone from that of an out-of-sorts nobody in a misfiring team to the guiding force behind the form side of the Super 14 - from journeyman to a serious contender for All Blacks honours.
A phlegmatic sort, though, Donald doesn't really buy any of the hype. He wasn't, he says, playing that badly earlier in the season. And he hasn't become a world beater overnight.
"I don't think I did anything that great out there last Friday night," he says of a performance against the then-undefeated Crusaders in which he showcased all of his considerable skills. "I have played better games in the last month to be honest. It is nice to be finding the groove but, as far as all the talk goes, you can't really control it, so there's no point worrying about it."
His attitude is more realism than false modesty, but Donald was very, very good in that 18-5 victory. He set up both Chiefs tries - one with a neat chip and regather and the other with a classic draw and pass - struck his goal kicks sweetly, and kept the Crusaders pegged in their own territory with a pinpoint long-kicking game.
Donald's assessment of his early-season form is accurate. The perception of his performances, however, was certainly dragged down by his errant goal-kicking.
"Often people think if you are not goal kicking well you are not playing well, but I'd like to think I've been playing not-too-bad. The goal-kicking hasn't been there but it is starting to come.
"I don't think I was as bad as might have been perceived early on. You've got to just worry about your own job really."
And while he kicked poorly, he did land two difficult match-winning penalties from almost an identical spot at Waikato Stadium to ensure the Chiefs wouldn't have to start their now customary late-season charge from too far off the pace.
What value now the eight competition points scraped from Donald's boot courtesy of last-gasp goals against the Waratahs and Cheetahs?
"In the greater scheme of things they have been pretty crucial," he says. "If someone said you were going to miss all your kicks but get a pressure one at the end you'd take that."
Chiefs coach Ian Foster is well aware of the value of his key playmaker.
"I might give him a pass mark, do you think?" says Foster. "By his own admission he wasn't on his game early in the campaign but he wasn't able to train much pre-season because of a foot injury.
"He couldn't do a lot of kicking and I think that showed a little bit. He also hit the post four times in the first three games and they bounced out. People still chalk them down as misses but it is a fine line.
"His game wasn't that far away and he has certainly grown in confidence. And every time he gets out there and runs his team around at training the more confident he is on the park."
That confidence is surging through the Chiefs but Donald insists they are wary of succumbing to complacency as they look to extend their win streak to six against the Reds in Hamilton tomorrow night.
"We have talked about how quickly things can change. We are conscious that they can go backwards just as quick so we are pretty focused on trying to just stay in the groove.
"We just have to keep our feet on the ground.
"It's great to be still holding our destiny in our own hands. For the years I've been involved with the Chiefs - although we haven't been out of the competition by now - we've sort of been chasing the eight ball a bit and have had to hope other teams would fall over."
Donald insists he isn't among the ever-growing number of New Zealand players weighing up their value overseas. If Carter and Evans do depart, he'll definitely be around to fill their boots.
"No one's got my number at any of those overseas clubs. I'm sticking around. You grow up dreaming to be an All Black and once you go overseas take yourself out of the frame.
"Besides, you can't catch many fish in places like London."
Even if Carter stays, Donald's current form should put him in the running for the All Blacks back-up role. Carter, though, does cast a long shadow, he says.
"Dan has a bit of an exclamation mark next to his name. He is the best five-eighth in the world. There is no doubting his standing in the game. But you do have to think that if you are playing well then you are pushing your case and you'll hopefully be in the frame somewhere."
DONALD'S MATCH-WINNING MOMENTS
THE LAST-MINUTE STUNNER
After his side frittered away a healthy 17-0 lead to allow the Waratahs back into the round-two match, Donald stepped up to slot the winning penalty with seconds remaining. The three-pointer - along with the 20-17 win it secured - was crucial to raising the Chiefs' spirit after the opening week defeat to the Blues.
THE OTHER LAST-MINUTE STUNNER
Another 17-0 lead was taken apart, this time the Chiefs battling their way back from a daunting halftime deficit. The young first five had missed a few easy ones in the preceding weeks, but was as cool as a cucumber, nailing the final penalty from an angle to ensure a 22-20 victory over the Cheetahs.
THE CRUSADER CRUSHER
Undefeated and reportedly on the fast-track to the their gazillionth title, Robbie Deans' men arrived in Hamilton with the kind of momentum that could have put the Chiefs' semifinal hopes to bed once and for all. Donald didn't wait till the last minute to nab this match though - the No 10 seized it by the throat from the first minute to the 80th, comfortably outplaying his fellow All Black hopeful Stephen Brett in the red-and-black jersey on the way to an 18-5 win.
- Winston Aldworth
