KEY POINTS:
On the field, Benson Stanley doesn't have any trouble making snap decisions.
Last Saturday against Northland, the Auckland centre took just a split second to sum up his options before firing a rasping left-handed double skip pass that sent lock Kurtis Haiu over in the corner for the
opening try.
The vision and skill needed to execute that play can be taught, but only to those possessing a certain degree of natural ability.
His breeding probably hasn't hurt on that score. The nephew of legendary All Blacks centre Joe and a member of the Stanley clan that has also spawned second-generation All Black Jeremy and St George Illawarra league centre Chase, Benson could have been forgiven for believing he was born to be a rugby player.
Instead, even now that he has slipped seamlessly into the Auckland side in place of the injured Ben Atiga, he doesn't appear convinced that is the case.
He didn't exactly rush into his decision to try rugby as a career.
After debuting for Auckland in 2003 as an 18-year-old, Stanley has spent the intervening years largely in a self-imposed exile from the upper echelons of the game.
Having decided on a commerce degree at Auckland University, he restricted himself to playing club rugby for Ponsonby.
If that seemed a strange decision, Stanley himself still struggles to explain why he took it. "I don't know myself," he said. "It has probably been ingrained a bit by family that education is important."
The experience of cousin Jeremy, whose fledgling career was cut short by injury at the age of 26, also influenced Stanley.
"I know first-hand from relatives that you are only one injury away."
With Derren Witcombe also being forced into premature retirement this year, there's no doubting the wisdom of Stanley's education first policy.
Now, at 22 and with a job at big-hitting accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers being held open for him, Stanley finds himself at a crossroads.
To play or not to play, that is the question.
Rugby certainly has its attractions.
"It is a hell of a change to come to this place where you enjoy what you are doing and have a good bunch of guys around you who you can laugh and carry on with. I don't think there are too many other jobs out there like that. I am just loving every day.
"It is a fantastic environment to come to so-called work. It's hard to think it is work. You enjoy yourself, you laugh and you are surrounded by a great bunch of guys. It is humbling, really."
Being part of a team that has posted seven consecutive wins, largely in fine style, hasn't hurt either.
"It obviously helps. This would probably be a slightly different interview if we had dropped most of our games. [Winning] definitely helps the enjoyment side and everyone getting on. There's not too much friction here."
With Atiga poised to return from injury next week, Stanley could well find himself back at his less favoured position of wing for the remainder of the championship. Be it as a centre or wing, the big question will be whether he has done enough this season to earn himself a Super 14 contract.
If he has, full-time professionalism beckons. If not, he won't be lacking other options. "I've committed [to rugby] for now and I've got another year to make a fist of it. If that falls through I've also got a job lined up so I'm sort of playing both sides at the moment.
"Obviously you want to push yourself and really take each avenue to its fullest extent.
"I've worked hard to open up another door outside of rugby and to still have this one there, to be able to go and take that door has just been fantastic.
"I'll just have to see where things go from here and make a decision then.
"If nothing comes my way, then I've got a bob each way."
