Stephen Donald's concern about Pieter-Steph du Toit captaining the Boks isn't a slight — it's the opposite. His worry is that Du Toit's instinct to take games over single-handedly, so effective as a player, could become a liability in the leadership role. With Kolisi out and Paul de Villiers earning a debut call, the captaincy question adds an extra layer to an already loaded occasion.
Beyond the armband, Donald rates the Bok squad highly — effusive about the backline with Feinberg-Mngomezulu back, the Kriel-De Allende midfield axis (the latter hitting 100 Tests), and the pace of Kolbe and Arendse. His one reservation is the Pollard omission from the bench, wondering whether the Boks might regret not having their money kicker available in what he expects to be a tight finish. On where the Test actually gets decided: Donald thinks the Feinberg-Mngomezulu vs Ruben Love duel will be compelling, but neither playmaker wins it — it comes down to how much counter-attack and turnover ball the All Blacks can generate, and critically, what happens at ruck time, with the mind games around officiating already well underway.