Donald's return to Barbarian colours is the best possible omen for the famous touring side. Eighteen months ago he was part of an earlier Baa-Baas' squad that put the Springboks to the sword at Twickenham.
And this time around he joins another array of running backs that promise to test Ireland here, as well as England at Twickenham and Wales at the Millennium Stadium, to the limit.
Already announced of course are Gloucester Rugby favourites Mike Tindall and Akapusi Qera, together with former Cherry and White, Iain Balshaw.
Throw in the likes of Welsh legends Shane Williams and Stephen Jones, France's Cedric Heymans and All Black Joe Rokocoko, and the possibilities for a springtime rugby extravaganza sound endless.
Joining Gloucester's Tindall and Qera along with Donald are yet more world-class backs in the shape of England's Mark Cueto, Wales and Lions' scrum-half Dwayne Peel, and French centre Maxime Mermoz.
And, if that sounds like too many backs hungry for the ball and very few forwards to supply it, the Barbarian committee are shortly to unveil plenty of gifted ball-carriers.
As the various play-off permutations affecting clubs the length and breadth of Europe take shape, the real balance of the Baa-Baas' squad will emerge.
There is every likelihood that the back-row will be joined by Wallaby great George Smith, Scotland's John Beattie and Puma Juan-Manuel Leguizamon. While, in the second-row engine room, Frenchmen Lionel Nallet and Jerome Thion and Springbok Johann Muller have been lined up.
Two of the props already recruited are England's Andrew Sheridan and another All Black and World Cup hero, John Afoa.
By the time they arrive at Kingsholm at the end of next month, this star-studded squad will have stretched to 30 players drawn from something in the region of a dozen nations.
But, even as they do so, the local rugby fraternity would have every right to reflect on and toast Gloucester's own contribution to the fortunes of the Barbarians over the years.
At the last count, 53 players have turned out for the Baa-Baas whilst club members here.
The first, way back in 1893, was Francis Oswald Poole, a graduate of Cheltenham College and man of the cloth who achieved the double whammy two years later of being ordained by the Church and capped by England almost in the same breath. A holy alliance if ever there was one.
Eventually he was a Barbarian seven times over and so began a regular recruitment of men of Gloucester to the cause of the Barbarians.
In more modern times, names like Blakeway, Burton, Fidler, Gadd and Teague jump off the page of the Barbarians' roll of honour.
And, of course, four years ago in the corresponding fixture against Ireland, Lesley Vainikolo was on the Baa-Baas' wing.
Yet pride of place really goes to a great favourite from half-a-century ago, George Hastings. Born in Dursley, educated at Cheltenham Grammar School, and backbone of the front row, Hastings qualifies for a select breed who have played 20 games for the Barbarians.
Originally an aircraft draughtsman and later a farmer, Hastings cut his scrummaging teeth with Old Patesians and the Cheltenham club sides before giving years of service in front of the Kingsholm faithful and in 13 internationals for England.
With the Barbarians he added an extra dimension to his appearances. Clearly a prop not satisfied with the grunt and groan of scrums and lineouts, the records show that in his 20 appearances he also amassed no fewer than 67 points in the black-and-white jersey.
And, what's more, in one game he racked up an incredible 28 points! Such statistics almost demand further delving by any self-respecting researcher and, sure enough, young George achieved just that on the Baa-Baas' pioneering tour of Canada in 1957.
The trip was an epic in its own right - six matches in 17 days, immediately in the wake of a four-match Easter tour of south Wales, and with a squad of only 20 players!
There was no shortage of stellar names among them but while Tony O'Reilly, Cliff Morgan and Andy Mulligan were grabbing the headlines behind the scrum, Hastings was making his own contribution up front and then converting the tries that they scored. And that 28-pointer really did happen.
Hence the 'Vancouver Herald' on 1 May 1957, reporting the Baa-Baas' 52-nil demolition of Ontario the previous day: "Deadly accurate kicker George Hastings scored five penalty boots [sic], five conversions and a try for a high total of 28 points."
Add to that the fact that Hastings played in all six matches and a year later was invited to tour with the Baa-Baas again on another six-match assignment in South Africa and you get the picture that he really was a true Barbarian.
As if to prove his goal kicking pedigree in much tougher surroundings, he was at it again with the boot, converting a couple of glorious tries against Transvaal in front of a packed 60,000 crowd at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
What price Andrew Sheridan rather than Stephen Donald stroking over a touchline conversion at Kingsholm on May 29th?
When the Barbarians are in town anything could happen.
Tickets are still available for the fixture and start from just £15 for adults and £5 for juniors. Visit the Gloucester Rugby website on www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk or contact the ticket office hotline on 0871 871 8781 option 2 to book your tickets.
