But in true prop tradition he was concentrating on the donkey work upfront.

BBC: Prop Thomas targeting Italy scrum

This leaves his deputy, Aziz Pahad, doing most of the donkey work.

ECONOMIST: South Africa

The donkey work of creating the Institute for Applied Cancer Science, as the new mission control is to be known, will be done by Lynda Chin.

ECONOMIST: Cancer research

Merrill Lynch's move into retail broking suggests that foreign firms are now prepared to do the donkey work needed to establish a long-term business in Japan.

ECONOMIST: Japan��s ��big bang��

His committee wants to revamp the Scottish party's cumbersome structure, which retains an unnecessary distinction between local party members, who do the donkey work, and a group of bigwigs appointed in London who run the show.

ECONOMIST: Scottish Tories

He called John at work and told him he had lost the donkey, their nickname for an especially large bass.

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