All Blacks: Southern Man in familiar territory

Tom Donnelly. Photo / Getty Images

It's a sporting and cultural coincidence that had to be broached as sensitively as possible to Brad Thorn's similarly abrasive partner in the All Blacks second row.

Tom Donnelly is not yet regarded in the same reverential tones as the seemingly ageless and indestructible dual international, but as a stalwart of Otago and the Highlanders - a bloke who has no qualms opening a Speight's during a post-match press conference - he exudes a certain aura.

So when Donnelly was asked if he perhaps had an affinity with Scottish rugby given his provincial team and Super 15 franchise has experienced similar difficulties in terms of, say, developing a winning culture he thought for a moment, sort of smiled, and drawled "Yeeeeah."

Could he elaborate then? "No".

"I don't really know how Scotland rugby's been going," he admitted, before being certain on one point: "I know it's been tough for the Highlanders for the last couple of years."

Dunedin, the self-proclaimed Edinburgh of the south, and Scotland share more than a common bond through heritage and a brutal winter- in a rugby sense they have both struggled to prove competitive in the professional era.

Scotland has always been able to blame a miniscule player base in comparison to football for only occasional success in the Five and now Six Nations - ideally at England's expense.

At World Cups they are usually cursed to be drawn against the All Blacks eventually - and in a rivalry that started in 1905 New Zealand have won 25 of their 27 meetings, the others were drawn.

Donnelly, who was actually born in Rotorua before being raised in Central Otago, may have been reluctant to equate Otago rugby's current woes with its Scottish counterpart but he definitely recognised the significance of the All Blacks success rate against the weakest Home Union.

After all, he just experienced the dismay of an All Blacks defeat for the first time in his test career - in Hong Kong where the Wallabies won 26-24 on October 30.

Donnelly, who made his debut against Australia in Wellington last year, celebrated 13 test wins in a row before James O'Connor's converted try spoiled his record.

"You really appreciate how good it is to win in an All Blacks jersey," he said, acknowledging an unfortunate contrast with his Highlanders.

"Coming from the Highlanders where we don't win a lot of games each year, to go on trot like that was pretty special," he said.

Donnelly was in the stands when the All Blacks beat England 26-16 at Twickenham last weekend but should be restored to the 22-man squad for Sunday's (NZT) test at Murrayfield, history suggests he will also return a winner.

The 29-year-old was aware of the All Blacks traditional dominance, but admitted he knew little of his opposition.

"I haven't done a lot of research at all really," he said.

Donnelly, on his first visit to Edinburgh, blamed scant coverage of the Magners League for his ignorance - not that he subscribes to the Rugby Channel.

"I don't sit there and try and watch every game that's on at the weekend," he said, before revealing he kept tabs on former teammate Craig Newby's Leicester wherever possible.

Meanwhile, he is also on the lookout for Ali Williams - the roaming All Blacks lock who has already popped up in Hong Kong and London as he rehabs an Achilles injury.

"It's been bloody good having him around to ask different questions about lineouts," Donnelly said.

"A different perspective is always handy."

However, he wasn't expecting to brainstorm with Williams in the Scottish capital, despite the Aucklander's Celtic background.

"It might not be glamorous enough for him up here," he grinned.

- NZPA