The prop who came in from back and beyond

By WYNNE GRAY

From second five-eighths to prop, from the couch to an All Black - Joe McDonnell is the man for the quantum leap.

In Hamilton tonight he reaches a pinnacle, the dream every rugby-crazed kid in New Zealand imagines when he straps on the gear for the first time. He is Joe McDonnell, All Black loosehead prop.

It is a rugby journey with more twists than Chubby Checker. Some of its foundations began in nearby Te Aroha, the town that housed Carl Hoeft before he also made the trip south and into the All Blacks' front row.

A shade over 29 years ago, McDonnell was born in Hastings. His family made lifestyle moves that took in the Waikato, then Dunedin and Gore.

About a decade ago, McDonnell took off to Cromwell. There was some contract shearing, work for a roading company and the footie.

Six years ago, McDonnell fronted up for Otago Country in a game at Alexandra against Otago B wearing the No 12 jersey.

"The outsides didn't see much ball," he recalled. "I just tucked it under one wing. I played there a bit, but I was only about 92kg."

Programmes now put him as a 115kg specialist loosehead prop.

During his Central Otago days, McDonnell dabbled as a prop.

"In the country there were not a lot of big guys and I could hold my own in the scrum, so I thought why not?"

McDonnell liked the change. Once he gained weight to help the switch, there was no going back.

But he did go back to Dunedin about four years ago. He could not handle the five-hour round trips to representative rugby training and then starting work about 4.30am.

His decision drew rewards. McDonnell made his NPC debut in 1998 and his journey towards the black jersey took another step.

It was a steady trip, nothing too rapid as McDonnell emerged as a ball player, a front-rower with a big heart whose technique needed to be tidied up.

So did his shoulder, and that injury caused him to miss the entire Super 12 campaign last season.

Instead of driving the front row, McDonnell took up a suggestion from coach Peter Sloane he use his HT licence, stay with the squad and steer the Highlanders' bus.

He made it back for the NPC.

Once that was over, coach Laurie Mains suggested a few changes before this year's Super 12.

Hoeft was injured and would not return until midway through the series, and Kees Meeuws had transferred. McDonnell was going to be No 1 loosehead and needed some help.

All Black hooker Anton Oliver gave technical help, along with Balie Swart, the former Springbok prop. Training guidance came from South African Andre Richardson.

"I got fit, I worked really hard and I was ready," McDonnell said. "Balie was awesome, he gave us tips on how to make the whole pack work, and then individual help.

"Anton is just a natural leader and we talked about a lot of different grips and styles."

Mains was impressed with the improvement. McDonnell did not give away scrum penalties under pressure, he was a very adequate scrummager and his allround play was impressive.

"He is smart, Joey, he reads a scrum well and does not make scrum battles into a personal battle," Mains said. "He is good on the pick-and-drive and can be an explosive runner.

"No player has a bigger ticker than Joe."

McDonnell cackles in talking about his southern coach. He acknowledges Mains' passion for the sport, his devotion to coaching and getting the best out of everyone.

"He is a tough bastard," was his succinct observation.

But Mains' project had worked. After five rounds of the Super 12, All Black coach John Mitchell was impressed. Although Mains then gave Hoeft a chance to play and regain his national place, it was McDonnell who claimed the job as the shock choice.

The selection even threw McDonnell.

After a chat with NZ Maori coach Matt Te Pou and a suggestion he stay in reasonable shape, McDonnell gained a release from his regular Zingari club in Dunedin to play for Cromwell.

The game coincided with his plans to travel to the area to see his seven-year-old son, Jermaine.

A few days later, McDonnell was back in his Dunedin flat, the television tuned to the lunchtime announcement about the All Blacks and New Zealand Maori.

"I was hoping to make the Maori side and the next thing I am looking at my flatmates and going, 'Was that me in the All Blacks'?" he recalled.

It was. Finally the Zingari club could add another All Black to its honours list, which had Keith Murdoch as the previous inscription.

The next few days were a whirl for McDonnell before he assembled with the squad in Whangamata.

But on day two the prop rolled his ankle and feared the worst.

"I went for an x-ray and it did not show a break, and now at last it is much improved. But initially I thought, 'You are kidding me'."

It has been that way for McDonnell for almost a fortnight - dealing with his new All Black status and inquiries about his life and rugby career.