Donald's second-year growth at Chiefs

If Stephen Donald is suffering from second-year syndrome, he's hiding it pretty well.

The Chiefs first five-eighths plays his 16th game for the franchise when they host the Bulls in Hamilton today. He is one of five players to have started all seven games this year - alongside Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu and loose forwards Marty Holah and Sione Lauaki - having made his debut last year.

It's a theory that applies in a variety of walks of life. Can a rock group follow up a successful debut album? Can a politician build on a honeymoon first term?

In 22-year-old Donald's case, he did well in his first season with the Chiefs and although there were several others ahead of him, drums were beating that in this national secondary schools, Colts and Junior All Black representative, there was a talent worth keeping an eye on.

This year, he's had his ups and downs but reckons the good days are coming more often.

"This is definitely more challenging [than last year] but that's gone with the fact I've taken a lot more responsibility," he said. "It has been tough this year, but I'd like to think I'm getting on top of it.

"I probably let myself down in South Africa [when the Chiefs lost their first two games] and didn't play that flash in Perth [26-28 against the Brumbies].

"But I've felt it's been coming back, and I've put up three or four performances which I've been pretty satisfied with."

Donald won't want to remember his kick that was charged down, leading to Dan Carter scoring an important try for the Crusaders in Hamilton.

Every player has moments they'd rather hadn't happened, so how does he cope with those clanger moments?

"I guess you have to dump it, especially in my position. You've got so many things going on, you're going to make a few errors.

"The other night [against the Highlanders] I put one kick dead, which resulted in a scrum back, and had a kick charged down. But you've pretty much got to shelve them and get onto the next job. You can't let them linger on.

"In South Africa I might have been letting things mount up and get on top of me a bit. But it's a skill you've got to develop because everything's not always going to go rosy for you."

Donald is a sharp-running No 10 with a good eye for a gap and a determined defender. Given the talent the Chiefs possess out wide, he's got the game to suit the team.

He has scored 89 points this season, fourth on the individual chart, and it says something about how Chiefs coach Ian Foster rates him that in these days of rotations he has not had any bench time.

There will be plenty of interest in Niva Ta'auso's return at centre, after six games sidelined since damaging ankle ligaments in the opening game in Durban on February 12.

He forms a blockbusting midfield combination with Sam Tuitupou, and they're up against a new Bulls pairing in Rudi Coetzee and Wynand Olivier as coach Heyneke Meyer looks to inject more pace into his team.

One thing's certain: There will be plenty of ground-shuddering collisions as both sets of defenders look to stop the metre-gobbling ballrunners Sione Lauaki, Steven Bates, Jacques Cronje and Pedrie Wannenberg.

The Bulls haven't beaten the Chiefs in New Zealand in 10 years. Although they're three points and four spots better off than the Chiefs, a second consecutive loss could significantly damage their playoff hopes.

As for the Chiefs, it's a simple situation: Win every game and they'll steadily pull themselves up the ladder into the semifinal frame.

* Hamilton, 5.35pm today

CHIEFS

Mils Muliaina
Sosene Anesi
Niva Ta'auso
Sam Tuitupou
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Stephen Donald
Byron Kelleher
Sione Lauaki
Marty Holah (c)
Steven Bates
Sean Hohneck
Bernie Upton
Nathan White
Tom Willis
Simms Davison

Reserves: Aleki Lutui, Ben Castle, Jono Gibbes/Kristian Ormsby, Liam Messam, Jamie Nutbrown, David Hill/Mark Ranby/Lelia Masaga, Loki Crichton.

BULLS

Johan Roets
Akona Ndungane
Rudi Coetzee
Wynand Olivier
Bryan Habana
Morne Steyn
Fourie du Preez
P Wannenburg
Jacques Cronje
Tim Dlulane
Victor Matfield (c)
Bakkies Botha
Andries Human
Gary Botha
Jaco Engels

Reserves: Adriaan Strauss, Wessel Roux, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Heinie Adams, JP Nel, John Mametsa