‘Beaver’ back to boost the Chiefs
Former All Black World Cup hero Stephen Donald has returned to the Chiefs for the 2019 Super Rugby season.
The 35-year-old has been signed as an injury replacement for young first five-eighth Tiaan Falcon, who will miss the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Donald, who played in Japan last year for the NEC Rockets, was training with the Chiefs in Hamilton yesterday, ahead of Friday’s season-opener against the Highlanders in Hamilton.
Chiefs coach Colin Cooper said there weren’t a heap of options around with which to replace Falcon, and that he was after some experience to add to the group. Damian McKenzie is the firstchoice playmaker, while his brother Marty McKenzie and former Melbourne Rebels pivot Jack Debreczeni are the alternatives in the squad.
‘‘We had a good look around, and he was pretty keen,’’ Cooper said, adding they had also talked to Donald last season about a possible return too.
‘‘We felt we needed a more experienced 10. He’s keen, and we were keen. He’s like another coach. We will be managing him on the load. But with his knowledge, his mana that he has among the group, the passion he has for the Chiefs, it was a nobrainer to bring him in.’’
Donald has played 104 games for the Chiefs – the first 85 of those between 2005 and 2011, before another 19 in 2016-17, and said he was delighted to return.
‘‘I am stoked to be able to come back and play for the Chiefs this season,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Cooper was coy on which of his All Blacks will take to the field on Friday, or how they will be managed.
With Sam Cane out indefinitely as he recovers from his neck injury, that potentially leaves new co-captain Brodie Retallick, playmaker Damian McKenzie and midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown as those on the early restricted duties.
‘‘We’re managing with the All Blacks who’s in and who’s out for this week,’’ Cooper said. ‘‘You’ll probably have to wait until Wednesday [team naming] for that.’’