All Blacks: History teaches harsh lesson for Donnelly

Tom Donnelly has a reputation for being good in the air. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New All Black lock Tom Donnelly should avoid thumbing through the pages of the team's recent history otherwise he might be more spooked than some of the lineout work last weekend.

In the Graham Henry era, only Chris Jack, Ali Williams and Brad Thorn have managed to get a decent grip on the jerseys in the middle row. Norm Maxwell came in to help out one year but then there is a healthy collection of discards and might-have-beens.

That list includes Greg Rawlinson, Troy Flavell, James Ryan, Simon Maling, Angus Macdonald and Kevin O'Neill while none of Jason Eaton, Anthony Boric, Bryn Evans or Isaac Ross have yet gone deep into their careers.

And yesterday Donnelly's name was added to the list to make his test debut as a 27-year-old in the All Blacks' final domestic test against the Wallabies in Wellington.

Donnelly has a reputation as someone good in the air but as a journeyman in many other facets of the game but if the selectors' latest hunch works, he could find himself picked for the end-of-year tour to Europe.

"He has played a lot of rugby at the level below, a lot of Junior All Blacks matches, and we are hopeful he has got the composure and the experience of a lot of first-class rugby to handle this occasion," Henry said.

Donnelly's promotion comes as the selectors have taken a blade to the side, removing Isaac Ross, Owen Franks and Jerome Kaino from the pack and replacing them with Donnelly, Neemia Tialata and Adam Thomson.

The changes have not stopped there.

The flaky twin five-eighths experiment with Daniel Carter and Stephen Donald has been canned.

"It's possible we might look at that again, you learn from those situations, I guess, but we haven't done so this time and I guess that is a wee bit of an indication," said Henry.

Donald has headed to the bench, Ma'a Nonu has been pulled in next to Carter where he was a success for most of last year, Isaia Toeava is picked at centre and Cory Jane on the right wing.

That choice has switched Joe Rokocoko to the left flank where his international reprieve will continue.

Discussing the alterations, Henry and his assistant Steve Hansen both lauded the contributions of Ross and Franks but said their young frames were suffering after a tough introduction to test rugby.

"We just think he [Ross] has played a lot of football, he is probably mentally being stretched continually every week and as I said we are delighted with him and he is a lot further on than I thought he would be," said Henry.

No 8 Kieran Read will call the lineouts this week in a formation where Thomson will be another target.

The coach said the blindsider had starred throughout the national championship and deserved his promotion.

Franks was "just starting to go over the top a wee bit and needs a bit of space" and with Tialata now fit it was an appropriate time to reintroduce him to test rugby.

"He is definitely our best tighthead prop from the scrummaging sense and he has got the ability to play on the other side. He is probably the strongest tighthead and the second-best loosehead in a scrummaging sense.

"He is very, very eager to prove a point. Mentally he is up there and his percentage fat has come down."

Henry denied that Tialata's selection had everything to do with countering the nuggety Wallaby loosehead Benn Robinson. He acknowledged Robinson's growing impact but denied that was a factor in the changes.

The All Blacks' backline this weekend is the same (apart from Carter, who was still injured) as the one which began the international season against France in Carisbrook.

There were challenges for all of them, especially Toeava who had the ability and showed that in his cameo last weekend.

"There is no doubt he has the ability, it is just a matter of whether he can get his mind into that sort of framework."

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Isaia Toeava, Ma'a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Hosea Gear

Wallabies
James O'Connor, Lachie Turner, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Will Genia; George Smith (captain), David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, James Horwill, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.

Reserves: Stephen Moore, Pek Cowan, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Peter Hynes.