Donald left out of All Blacks training

Fly-half Stephen Donald's dream of making New Zealand's Rugby World Cup squad appeared over Wednesday after he was omitted from the All Blacks pre-season training camps. Once touted as a back-up for star playmaker Dan Carter, Donald has struggled for form with his Super 15 team the Waikato Chiefs and was blamed for the All Blacks loss to Australia in October last year. National coach Graham Henry left him out of a 25-man squad named Wednesday for two training camps involving players from the three New Zealand teams that failed to reach the Super 15 playoff -- the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders. "We just think other people are playing better right now," Henry told reporters when asked about the 27-year-old's absence. The decision puts Aaron Cruden, a late bloomer for the Hurricanes in the Super 15 season, and Highlander Colin Slade, highly rated despite a string of injuries, in prime position to act as Carter's World Cup understudy. Donald, a 22-Test veteran, attracted intense criticism in rugby-mad New Zealand for an error-strewn performance against Australia in Hong Kong last October, when he replaced Carter in the final stages of the game. The All Blacks led 24-12 when he took the field but Australia went on to win 24-26, ending a 15-match unbeaten run for New Zealand and leading to calls for Donald's axing. He is reportedly moving to English club Bath next year.