Scotty Stevenson - Stephen Donald--Beaver

A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of New Zealand

ISBN

E: 978-1-988516-10-3

M: 978-1-988516-11-0

A Mower Book

Published in 2017 by Upstart Press Ltd

Level 4, 15 Huron St, Takapuna 0622

Auckland, New Zealand

Text Stephen Donald 2017

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

Design and format Upstart Press Ltd 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

E-book produced by www.CVDgraphics.nz

Cover photos: Getty Images

Acknowledgements

I never thought Id see a book about me published, but here it is and I hope you enjoy it. Before you get stuck in, Im going to take this opportunity to say thanks to a few of you who have contributed to the good times in all these years.

Big cheers to all my teammates. Ive been in some great and some not-so-great teams on the field, but not one in which I havent loved sitting in the sheds afterwards. A special mention to the Waikato and Chiefs teams. Gee, weve had some fun. To the older boys Marty Holah, Jono Gibbes, Steven Bates, Mark Ranby and David Hill you taught us plenty. To the Chiefs of today, youll never know how much it meant to me to be welcomed back in 2016. Ive loved every minute of being a Chief again.

To all the coaches, from Waiuku to the All Blacks and everyone in between, I thank you immensely for your time and for putting up with me. A special word about a few is needed. To Ian Foster, thanks for backing me through thick and thin, and clipping me around the ear when needed. I can now fully appreciate it. To Graham Henry, even when you dropped me I couldnt stay angry with you. You made me an All Black in the first place, giving me the chance to live the most ridiculous of childhood fantasies. To Mickey Byrne, I know I wasnt the most elegant kicker youll ever deal with, but you know I appreciate everything you put into me. Finally, to Dave Rennie, I can never express how grateful I am to you for giving me the opportunity to return to the great Chiefs environment.

To the supporters of all those teams, its been a privilege and an honour having your support. Hearing the cowbell around the country, and the world, still raises the hairs on the neck. I cant adequately describe the warmth Ive felt from you since returning to New Zealand. Im truly humbled.

To the sponsors who have made it possible to be employed in this game I love, I thank you, too. A special mention to the great people at Holden.

To my long-time manager Simon Porter, its been a pleasure putting your kids through school in the best clothes, and you in nice cars I jest! In seriousness, youve been a champion who has done more than was ever expected and Ill never forget that you were about to fly to Sydney after Timmy Mikkelson told you, falsely, that I was in jail.

To my friends and family, thanks for being there through all this; it wouldnt have been half as much fun without you. I know I put you through a bit on the field, and sometimes off it, but I could always rely on you guys, so cheers.

Finally, a special note to the poor bugger who has had to write about me, a ridiculous subject in the first place. Scotty, I hope youre getting well paid because this must have been painful. Scotty Sumo to us all is a man of the media, but throughout my career he has been a genuine top bloke towards me. Its been an honour for me to work on this book with you.

Contents

Forewords

T his is the tale of one of my greatest mates and when he asked me if I would write a little something to kick things off, I was both honoured and humbled. I also felt an enormous responsibility to do him justice. I dont know if I can because, in every way, Stephen Donald is one of a kind.

From the first time we were both selected in the Waikato side, we have done just about everything together. We lived together, and lived our dream together. Through it all there have been many wonderful times, and much laughter. And thats on him. Everybody who truly knows Beaver loves his blend of small-town charm, university brains and Wesley College street knowledge. Hes an intensely honest man, but he rarely opens up to people. You earn his respect and, once you have it, hell never let you down.

Rugby has been both a blessing and a curse for Beaver. There have been numerous brilliant moments in his career, but it is hard to think of many people who have been subjected to such harsh criticism. It was hard to stomach much of the treatment dished up to him by the media and by the public, knowing full well his family, who he cherishes, felt every sting, too. They endured as much as he did. You will read about dark times in this book; we experienced them with him. To watch the world close in on a friend is a terrible thing, but it never ceases to amaze me how he was able to handle that kind of pressure.

I feared that just one moment would forever define his career. Instead, another moment now does. Thats the reason hes the subject of a movie, and now of his own biography, this book. To become a Rugby World Cup winner with my best mate is one thing, to have been on the ride to that ultimate triumph with him is quite another.

Just one thing: he would never have had that shot without me. Five minutes before we ran out for the Cup final in 2011, I heard a muffled voice cry Help! I turned around to see Beaver, arms pinned above his head, the miniature All Blacks jersey he was trying to squeeze into damn near suffocating him. Had I not intervened at that moment, this could well have been a eulogy, rather than a foreword.

I laugh at that thought often. The moment has long since passed but the memory never fades. And neither does he. As I write this he is still on the field, winding back the clock with every minute he plays. He wont play forever, but who can say what chapters are yet to be written by this extraordinary man? All I know is that I am incredibly thankful our lives and our careers have been so intertwined. He is one hell of a guy, and his is a cracker of a story.

Richard Kahui

Waikato, Chiefs and All Blacks teammate

W hen I first saw Stephen play for Counties, he was a gangly-legged teenager with a massive heart who perhaps lacked the odd bit of finesse. When I finished coaching Stephen in 2011, he was a gangly-legged late 20-something bloke with a massive heart, who still lacked the odd bit of finesse.

Over the years, I watched Stephen work exceptionally hard at the micro-skill level of the game in order to get every small improvement in areas that some other players, who may have had more natural ability, took for granted. While at times I could tell he saw this constant battle as a negative, all I could see was someone who had drive, perseverance and a burning desire to be the best he could be. These to me are the qualities which have earned him the right to represent his country and which have also earned him the respect of his teammates.

As a team member, Stephen loved the cultural side of the team environment and he loved the mischief that went with that, too. As he matured, he also understood the importance of responsibility and accountability within a group. I loved watching him grow up, and I know that he still enjoys life to the full.

Hopefully, when you read this book, you will get the same image of Stephen that I got from coaching him for many years. I think there may be some life lessons to take from all that he was, and all that he remains. He is very proud of his family, and loves them dearly. He worked hard to make the most of his God-given talents. He hurt like the rest of us when things got tough, but he didnt give up. He fought for what he wanted, and he did it with a style that befits Waiukus most famous whitebaiter.