Wynne Gray: Waiuku's finest could well get the nod

Stephen Donald. Photo / Christine Cornege

Lend me a fiver Ted and I'll plonk that on Stephen Donald being the backup All Black five-eighths at the World Cup.

Punting is not my thing as anyone would understand and advise after looking at my Super 15 tips.

But if asked for a selection hunch, a feeling in my bones, an inkling about the All Black selection intentions, my tip is they are pointing towards Waiuku's finest ahead of Aaron Cruden.

That may seem a contradiction of Henry's observation this week that if forced to pick between two players of similar clout, the panel would side with someone looking to play their future rugby in New Zealand.

Donald is heading for footy in the UK next year while Cruden is oscillating between New Zealand franchises for the Super 15.

When Henry fronted up for a media seminar this week he gave some very standard and practised answers on a range of issues.

This is the game within the game, when Henry is dangling some information bait without quite offering a concrete cast. It is a rare chance for Henry to watch the media squirm, to see the piranha pack gulping at shadows.

You could picture Henry cackling over dinner with wife Raewyn later that night as he recounted parts of the verbal sparring session.

Do we believe Henry and his buddies have already chosen their backup to Daniel Carter? Probably, because on the evidence of this season neither Stephen Brett nor Luke McAlister will get the nod.

If McAlister did it would be on his form against the Lions six years ago and little to do with his output this season. He is also leaving for Toulouse.

With Colin Slade still in the sick bay and unwanted for last year's tour to the UK, and Piri Weepu primarily a halfback, the choice has to be between specialists Donald and Cruden.

Cruden is the future and staying, a fine prospect who is getting stronger and more accomplished with each outing and has six caps on his 22-year-old CV. Donald is the present and leaving, a 27-year-old veteran of the New Zealand rugby scene, capped 21 times with a decade of first-class rugby experience.,

Both are kicking goals at better than 70 per cent during the Super 15 but suffer in all areas by comparison with the superstar Carter.

During his longer career Donald has encountered most situations, dealt with a range of setbacks and criticism in New Zealand.

His game has some technical imperfections but he is tough mentally, selfless and a great team man. He knows what it is like to wait on the sidelines behind Carter and get the occasional game, he can deal with that and it is those attributes which will count when the selection chips are dealt for this year's All Blacks.