nzherald.co.nz video producer Steve Orsbourn is in Sydney for the test and will be filing regular updates throughout the buildup and over the weekend
KEY POINTS:
Daniel Braid? Daniel Braid? Know the name? That's right, he last played for the All Blacks at the 2003 World Cup.
That hiatus is something for the statistical boffins to pore over in the build-up to Braid's return to the national ranks for the opening Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies tomorrow in Sydney.
It is a gap of 57 tests which is a huge whack of matches in anyone's language though not as vast as the seven-year interval Marty Berry experienced during his sketchy All Black career.
Braid was a lively 21-year-old when he made his test debut in 2002 as one of the beneficiaries of the policy that left 21 All Blacks in New Zealand to recover or have minor operations to prepare them for the 2003 World Cup programme.
Braid made his test start against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in a match won 43-17 by the All Blacks when he, Rodney So'oialo, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Regan King and Paul Steinmetz all played their first international.
The following year, Braid was a surprise choice in the World Cup squad which already included Richie McCaw and Marty Holah but he stepped out twice against Canada and Tonga. Tomorrow, after a massive wait when he has battled injury, selection vagaries and been thwarted by the imperious openside talents of McCaw, Braid will play his fourth international in Sydney.
It had been a "very long time" Braid said, in one of the year's greater understatements, after it was confirmed he would start the test tomorrow after McCaw failed in his bid to recover fully from his ankle injury.
"He has played some great football especially in the last season once he got his confidence back from his shoulder injury he played very well for the Blues," the franchise's departed coach David Nucifora said yesterday.
Nucifora has slipped back across the Ditch to be high-performance manager for the Australian Rugby Union and despite his change of allegiance was laudatory of Braid's rugby contribution.
"I think whenever you play Australian teams, from a New Zealand perspective, the battle on the ground is going to be incredibly intense and you have to compete with them on the ground," Nucifora said.
"I think it was a no-brainer Daniel had to come into this game if they were going to compete in that area.
"To me it is clearcut that he has been next best to Richie and he deserves a go and the decision was clearcut.
"He would have been distraught when he got hurt about the time Richie went down as well and I know he will make it a real contest for the ball at the breakdown with George Smith.
"They have played each other a lot over the years. They are both smart footballers, read the game well and it is the anticipation which makes them such dangerous players at the tackle and which will make it a really good contest.
"You are talking about a matter of a few seconds in decision-making at the tackle and that is why George and Braidy are better than the next guys,"
Braid's All Black father Gary missed out playing a test against the Wallabies in his tour of Australia in 1984 and it was an emotional 27-year-old who was able to ring his parents to tell them he was starting tomorrow.
He had been tempted to go offshore.
The offers were there but his form and discussions with Graham Henry persuaded him there was the chance of an All Black recall.
"The hanging around has paid off," he said gleefully.
