Matt Todd plays the role of a chosen one at No 7...
The Christchurch rugby club is the oldest in New Zealand with 32 All Blacks including five captains on their honours board.
Their last inscription came a decade ago when a young Richie McCaw was added in gold lettering. Club members and many others who've followed Matt Todd's progress believe his name will soon follow the national captain.
Ask at the club or provincial observers and they have no doubt, 23-year-old Todd is destined for the black jersey, the only argument is when. They believe they saw into the future a few years back when McCaw and Todd played a rare club game together against Lincoln University.
"You wouldn't have been ringing me about Matt this time last year. But as you can see, he manages to progress up the levels all right, nothing really fazes him.
"He never seems overawed, he has a great temperament," said his recent club coach, Brad Mooar.
Those sentiments are shared by Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder, a wily looseforward in his day, someone who understands hard work and doesn't favour hyperbole.
"Matt could be a great player - that's in the future. But he's certainly putting a lot of pressure on the selectors," he said.
If Todd followed his usual routine he would have watched Christchurch club training last night before boarding the Crusaders bus today for the two-hour trip south and their next duel against the Bulls in Timaru.
It would be a quiet trip, Blackadder thought. The players would save their energy for the game, prop Nick Barrett would stow his guitar until the return trip.
"We'll just listen to the sound of the bus wheels and get there by lunch," the coach dead-panned.
Locals expect more than 10,000 to turn up to Alpine Energy Stadium with interest in the match rivalling that for a visit from one of the middle-tier international sides. The Crusaders will arrive via Twickenham and a bye, while the Bulls have been basking in Queenstown this week.
Todd will wear the No 7 jersey again, deputising for McCaw who may be fit for action next round against the Chiefs in Mt Maunganui. The intrigue will be how Blackadder uses his looseforward artillery when captain Kieran Read, McCaw, Todd, George Whitelock and Jonathan Poff are all fit.
Todd is a product of Kaiapoi in North Canterbury where he stayed, played and went to school until he switched for his last year at Christchurch Boys' High. He returned to his home club the next season before beginning his Christchurch club career in 2007.
"He has an awesome work ethic, he understands the game and his knowledge just grows all the time," said Mooar.
"He was always a standout player. He was on the cusp of NZ under-20s but just missed and was close to Canterbury in 2008 and missed out on that too but that was good because he did not get knocked around."
The 104kg flanker had all the instincts of an openside, said Mooar, and had shown he could handle every level of rugby. He knew what to work on, he did what was needed and a whole lot more in training.
Around his rugby demands, Todd had also taken some business papers at university and become a personal trainer. He led a balanced life, which was not always the case with young rugby players, and was strong and incredibly fit.
Academy, colts, provincial and Super 15 coaches had all followed Todd's progress and been involved in two-way dialogue about his progress since school.
"What Matt does is instinctive," said Blackadder.
"He has good hands, is a strong link player and is only in his first really big campaign, but if he keeps going he's got a good show of being in the All Blacks squad."
Acknowledgements: Wynne Gray
