Wesley College combo spices up Chiefs backline

The Wesley College factor is starting to take hold of the Chiefs' backline.

Four of the Chiefs' seven backs who started in their Super 12 rugby victory over the Sharks last Saturday were old boys of the Counties-Manukau school.

While threequarters Sitiveni Sivivatu, Sailosi Tagicakibau and Niva Ta'auso were carving up the Sharks' defence out wide in the 40-5 win, fellow Wesley old boy Stephen Donald quietly put up his hand for more starts at first five-eighth.

Donald, 21, made his Super 12 debut as a replacement against the Waratahs in the season opener but was in the run-on team for the first time on Saturday.

He made a good impression in the pivot role in terms of his decision making, kicking, passing, running and defending.

"I feel pretty good now I've had it (first Super 12 start) but I was pretty nervous up until and, I guess, during the first half and I guess it showed," Donald said.

"But I was pretty happy with the way I finished in the second half and hopefully I've got something to build on now."

With Donald brought in at first-five, David Hill moved to second-five. With newcomer Ta'auso also making his debut at centre, the Wesley factor suddenly came in to play with wings Sivivatu and Tagicakibau also having gone to the school.

Jonah Lomu also went to the school.

"With Niva coming in, it was good to get another Counties boy, another Wesley boy, in there and Hilly and I have played quite a bit together now and have quite a good understanding together," Donald said.

"I always like playing with a guy who's got a first-five's head on his shoulders.

"It's important you've got someone else looking as well as you and I really enjoyed playing with Hilly."

Donald said the contrast Ta'auso provided to him and Hill brought a useful variation to the combination.

It was a far cry from the second half of club rugby Donald had for Old Boys three weeks ago when he scored 24 points against Te Awamutu Sports.

"I think I was more buggered after the Old Boys game. It was so hot that afternoon but that was the last game I'd played and in the last 10 minutes out there the other night I was battling pretty bad with the old cramps. I could hardly run at some stages."

Donald was not alone in suffering from cramps late in that match. As a result, the medical staff have boosted the players' salt intake at training this week.

His starting debut coincided with the Chiefs' second win this season and certainly their biggest.

"I guess it opened up and I enjoy that sort of football. But we still felt we were pretty messy. I guess we took enough chances to win it. They had a few chances and it could have been a lot closer than what it was."

Donald admitted the Chiefs got most of their successful attacks from broken play and launched little off set-phase play because of lack of opportunities -- possibly because of the conditions.

Meanwhile, Chiefs skipper Jono Gibbes got through training over the last couple of days and looks likely to return to the starting line-up on Friday night against the Cats, while stand-in captain Steven Bates also looks a good chance to play No 8. He had started to run relatively freely on the torn hamstring tendon behind his knee.

Prop Michael Collins missed training with a stomach bug yesterday but there is no further news on lock Keith Robinson and his back injury, which appears not to have improved.

- NZPA