1061 Angus Macdonald

Angus Macdonald was an excellent all-purpose forward who gave admirable service to Auckland from the early 2000s until the end of 2007 season, when at the early age of 26 he joined the overseas exodus.

Macdonald only appeared twice for the All Blacks, on the Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in late 2005, when he came on as a replacement for lock James Ryan with 15 minutes left in the international against Wales and then as a blindside flanker against Scotland.

In many ways Macdonald was a victim of his own versatility, for he was very much a utility forward, rather in the mould of the Canterbury player of the 1980s and early 90s, Andy Earl. As well as lock, and as a flanker on either side of the scrum, Macdonald was able to play at No 8 and did so for New Zealand Maori in the celebrated win over the British Lions at Hamilton in 2005.

Macdonald was the son of Hamish, who between 1972 and 1976 played 12 tests for the All Blacks as a lock. Nothing illustrates how much rugby has changed with the years, and how different perceptions of physique have become, than a comparison between the Macdonalds.

Hamish, at 1.90m (or 6ft 3in in the old imperial measures), played all of his rugby and tests as a lock. Yet the taller Angus (1.94m) was always seen as lacking the height to be a top class lock.

However, having been identified as a player of promise at King’s College in Auckland, from whence he made national secondary school sides, Angus Macdonald still went on to enjoy a satisfactory career.

Injuries, though, which meant he missed most of the 2006 season and stiff competition for positions in both Auckland and the Blues, often curtailed some of his opportunities.

After making New Zealand Universities and national colts sides, he and his King’s College team-mate, Daniel Braid, also son of an All Black, entered the Auckland representative side in 2001, becoming regular selections in 2002.

If not long term All Black selections, there were plenty of honours for both Macdonald and Braid in subsequent seasons: the Super 12 title with the Blues in 2003 (with Macdonald locking the scrum in the final against the Crusaders with Ali Williams), Ranfurly Shield wins in 2003 and 2007 and national championship titles in 2002-03, 2005 and 2007.

When he took up his overseas contract at the end of 2007 Macdonald had played 108 first class games, of which 46 had been for the Blues and 53 for Auckland). An amiable personality, Macdonald was upset by only one thing during his career: the constant mis-spelling of his surname as McDonald or MacDonald.

As well as his All Black father, Angus Macdonald was a nephew, by marriage, of the All Black first five eighths of the 1970s, Doug Bruce. In his high school days, too, Macdonald had shown almost as much promise in cricket as in rugby and had reached national age group level in the summer sport as an all rounder.