KEY POINTS:
Tomorrow afternoon Daniel Braid will pull on a black jersey and prepare himself to play Tonga in an international rugby match.
He'll be proud to do so, delighted in fact, but there's bound to be a little part of him thinking he should be somewhere else.
Braid will
be at North Harbour Stadium, where he has been named on the bench for New Zealand Maori for their Pacific Nations Cup opener against Tonga.
As he waits for his turn to enter the fray, it's hard to imagine his thoughts not turning to Wellington, where the All Blacks will be preparing for their first test of the season against Ireland.
Representing the Maori is a unique honour, but it is not the pinnacle. Many of Braid's teammates, be they All Black discards or up-and-coming hopefuls, will be feeling the same way.
But for Braid the sensation will be particularly acute. Since Marty Holah's departure last year, Braid, the country's reigning player of the year, has been assumed to be the second-best openside flanker in the country.
Confirmation of that ranking came last week when he was named in the All Blacks' 26-man train-on squad.
Braid has made no secret of the fact he remains in New Zealand purely because of his goal to recapture an All Blacks jersey he last wore against Tonga in the 2003 World Cup - a jersey he has worn just three times.
But not even the axing of the multi-faceted Chris Masoe, previously preferred as a back-up to the peerless Richie McCaw, could make a significant change to Braid's lot. Number two he may be, but his omission from the final All Blacks squad for the visits of Ireland and England showed he is still surplus to requirements.
He knows he is close to realising his goal, but in some ways he is still as far away as ever. Still waiting. Still pondering his options.
"I'm still in the same sort of holding pattern really," he said.
"I'm really keen to get on the end of year tour, that is my first goal."
Assistant All Blacks coach Steve Hansen signalled Braid's immediate fate when he said selectors were keen to keep "access' to two quality sevens.
With Braid playing for the Maori, whom he last represented in their famous victory over the Lions in 2005, that is precisely what they have. "I got some pretty good feedback, they were pretty open with me and how they saw it, with Richie being captain and playing a lot of game time," Braid said.
Given that it is just McCaw standing between him and his dreams, it's not hard to imagine Braid sticking a few pins into a doll of the All Blacks captain every now and then.
He says he doesn't - "but maybe my partner does".
The Maori may be a consolation prize but is certainly a valuable one as Braid looks to continue his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery.
"I'm glad I'm in this side so I can play some good high-level rugby and, if something happens, hopefully I'll be the next one up.
"I only played half the Super 14 so I need it. It was only towards the last couple of games that I started to get my confidence and my footwork in the tackle back. The more games I play at the higher level the better."
Visiting the Maori in their North Shore hotel, the Weekend Herald stumbled upon prop Clint Newland in traditional garb, roaring and brandishing a mere for a photo shoot. It made for a fairly imposing sight.
Braid's blond hair and light complexion made for an interesting contrast but being one of the fairer-skinned players in the side hasn't been a cause for much teasing from his teammates.
"Not really, there are a few other quite pale guys as well. It was pretty good how they talked about it, in the lineage, the whakapapa, I have got one ancestor and that is all that matters.
"I've always been aware of my Maori ancestry."
