Donsteppa first turned up on TSF back in the Rivals days in 2001 after hearing about us on Radio Sport. We haven’t been able to get rid of him since, even after giving him his own home at www.bopmafia.com...

Forum member number 60.

Describe yourself in 25 words or less: A cynical optimist (but eternally optimistic when it comes to the fortunes of the Steamers)

What international rugby team do you support and why?  All Blacks. Do I really need to say why?

What Super 14 team do you support and why?  Chiefs. Grew up in the Mount and now living in Hamilton – no other option really!

What's the biggest challenge facing rugby? Apathy at the grassroots level… most of us should still be out there playing/coaching/managing instead of posting on TSF all the time…

Who was the game's greatest ever player?  Glen Jackson

How about non-NZ players? Who were/are the greatest?  Of the ones I’ve seen: Martin Johnson, John Eales, George Gregan was underrated in Oz and David Campese could be very entertaining for both his fans and the opposition. I’m sure I’ve forgotten quite a few…

The best match you have ever seen?  Bay of Plenty vs. Auckland. 15th August 2004. A Ranfurly Shield challenge if I recall correctly… 

The best try you have ever seen?

*ahem*

“Jackson, to Tipoki… he’s cutting capers! He could make for himself a glorious moment in Ranfurly Shield history! He bounces back up, the Bay of Plenty are pouring in”.
“They’ve got the ball”.
“Advantage, offside”.
 “Oh they’re offside, there’s a chance with the pass over the top, there’s a dive … is there a try? Referee is going to go upstairs to the TMO Steve King”.
“This is great the Bay boys are off the bench, they’re all on their feet”.
“I don’t know Richard, I just saw Glen Jackson say to him – lip-reading – ’did you get it’, I don’t know whether he said yes or no, I think he said – looking at Jackson’s expression - I don’t think it was there but it’s going to burn up some time”.
“We’ll they’ll come back for the penalty anyway I think”.
“They’ll come back for the penalty and Auckland will lose one as well –“
“Oh yeah, that’s a try, there’s no problem at all, yeah well maybe he said I’ve got it and Glen Jackson was thinking about the conversion”.
“Well they’re going back to halfway the Bay of Plenty players, this is Anthony Tahana”
“Oh gee I think that’s a try, no problem at all”. “Well Adrian Cashmore was up straight away and he was right over the chalk. Try is given! Tahana the try scorer, the not insignificant matter of an NPC bonus point which has been lost in the excitement of the last few minutes. It’s 31-25 and Jackson with the chance to take the game away completely from Auckland”.
“This was clever play from Bay of Plenty, Jackson, he puts Tipoki on the inside so it was safety first tactics, I don’t think he ever dreamed he was going to get this far. Then they rumble it up and get the ball back, they had huge numbers, they’d already got the penalty there because Auckland were offside and he knew they’d been called offside – a Hail Mary pass from Jackson and they just had the numbers, well done”.
 “Jackson sends it on its way, AND OVER!” (score moves to 33-25)
All set to the sounds of several hundred Bay of Plenty fans going absolutely berserk on the Terraces 

What position did you play, if you played, in rugby?  Hooker for a couple of years in the under 85kgs grade. 

What do you like about the Silverfern?  The range of posters from several countries who know their stuff, and the discussion of more than just rugby as well.

How could the site be improved? More blue and yellow…

Who's your favourite poster?  Miller v Jackson, Mogwai, and Mr. Mike for sheer entertainment value. The Baron, Dodge, Bart, Jury, Kiwipie, Sportboy, Bay Imports, and others I’m sure I’ve missed.

Who's the worst poster?  Most of them get banned pretty quickly… 

How did you pick your user name? A nickname once bestowed on me somewhere back in the dark ages of lunchtime touch rugby.

How could the game of rugby be improved? Just pick a set of rules and stick with them for a decade or two…

What rugby player would you turn gay for?  Rugby what? Sorry, I’m too busy watching the Olympic beach volleyball at the moment… 

Non-rugby questions now

Favourite music?  Mostly rock/pop, I seem to have acquired every U2 CD and DVD I’ve ever come across… 

Favourite book?  The final book of the Wheel of Time. Now if they’d just hurry up and write it…

Favourite Film?  The Shawshank Redemption

Biggest lifetime regret?  Not having top end pace… 

Greatest hope? Many and varied; Glen Jackson to be All Black captain, the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup sometime again in my lifetime, algae based biofuels, Bay of Plenty to win the NPC, and to have my own soft serve ice-cream machine…