| Date of birth | 3 December 1983 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Papakura, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) [1] | ||
| School | Waiuku College | ||
| University | University of Auckland University of Waikato |
||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | First five-eighth Second five-eighth |
||
| New Zealand No. | 1075 | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2005–2011 2011-present |
Chiefs Bath Rugby |
85[2] 2 |
(796) (9) |
| correct as of 04 November 2011. | |||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2002–2003 2004–2011 |
Counties Manukau Waikato |
55 |
(471) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2002 2002-2003 2005–2007 2008–present |
New Zealand Schools New Zealand U-21 Junior All Blacks New Zealand |
11 23 |
(98) |
| correct as of 04 November 2011. | |||
Stephen Donald (born 3 December 1983) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays at First five-eighth or Second five-eighth,[3] for Bath Rugby in the English Premiership and the New Zealand All Blacks.
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Iitially progressing and playing through all levels for his local club Waikato in the ITM Cup, he then played for the Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition.
Donald signed for English Premiership club Bath Rugby for a two and a half year deal. Initially denied a work permit,[4] Bath appealed the decision against the UK Government and, with the support of the RFU, won their appeal against the refusal. Donald joined Bath after the Rugby World Cup 2011, making his début in the 68th minute of their Heineken Cup clash with Glasgow on 13th November 2011, scoring a penalty with 90 seconds to go. [5]
The Blues denied reports saying Donald had signed with them for the 2012 Super Rugby season as a replacement for Stephen Brett and Luke McAlister, who are both heading overseas.[6]
Despite an international career that had not lived up to expectations, he played for the All Blacks from 2008 till 2011. Donald, aka 'The Beaver', kicked the winning penalty in the IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 for New Zealand[7].
Donald had been criticized throughout his All Blacks' career, in particular for their last minute loss to Australia in the 4th game of the 2010 Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong. He missed a penalty that would have put the game out of reach. Then in the last minute of the game he failed to find touch with a clearing kick. The Australians gathered the ball and launched a counter attack from which James O’Connor scored a try. O’Connor kicked the winning conversion, and the blame for the loss fell on Donald[8]. A cartoon by Tom Scott in the lead-up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final described it as a "nightmare" if New Zealand's fate was left in his hands.[9].
However, he came on for the injured Aaron Cruden in the first half of the World Cup Final (making his World Cup debut) and kicked what turned out to be the winning penalty goal.[7][10]
In honour of his contribution to winning the World Cup, his local rugby club in Waiuku has renamed their home ground to Beaver Park. [8]
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