Highs and Lows of 2014 - and Tips for 2015!

2014 has been quite a year for world sport.

As usual, there was triumph tinged with tragedy although there were some high-profile tragedies in sport this year. Here is a look back at some of my picks for best and worst sporting moments of the year that was 2014 - and some tips for the new year ahead.

Highs of 2014
1. McCullum's triple ton - the first New Zealander to crack the elusive triple ton, Bazza's achievement was must watch TV and a big crowd on the 5th and final day of the test at the Basin Reserve showed how historic a moment this was for NZ sport. It was the icing on the cake of a highly remarkable season for the NZ captain who broke the 1,000 run barrier this year thanks to some terrific double tons.

2. Atletico Madrid win La Liga title - Spanish La Liga has always been considered to be technically the best league in the world but had always been hampered by the fact that the title race was always a two horse race between the two richest clubs in the land. In 2013/14, Real Madrid and Barcelona's duopoly was smashed by Atletico Madrid - while their rise to the summit during the season was not a surprise, the fact that they could stay there right till the end was, along with their gutsy performance in a 1-1 draw at Barcelona's Camp Nou that sealed their first title win since 1996, and the first for a side that wasn't Real Madrid or Barca in 10 years - shame they couldn't get the trophy later that afternoon too with the Spanish Federation secretary on holiday for that game (ugh!) And Diego Simeone's men could have made it an astonishing double but for that late goal in Lisbon against their biggest rivals in the Champions League Final. However, Atletico are still going strong in their title defence season, still in touch with Real and Barca at the top of the league.

3. Brazil 1-7 Germany - The most astonishing game, scoreline in World Cup history. Brazil at home in a World Cup semi were expected to walk to the Final at the Maracana in Rio only to be denied their key talisman, Neymar due to injury sustained in the quarterfinal against Colombia. But you wonder even with Neymar whether that would have made any difference for Brazil against Germany as they were completely found wanting in the worst half of football a Brazil side had ever played. 5-0 at half-time, the 2nd half was a mere formality as Germany counted down to a Final appearance and their 4th World Cup win. Perhaps their coronation as world champions had already come in this game.

4. Jack Bauer's close run at the Tour de France - No Kiwi rider since Julian Dean in 2001 had won a stage of the Tour de France but Jack Bauer came almightily close to ending that duck only for his legs to give out with meters to go to the finish in Nimes and conceding the stage win to Aleksander Kristoff. So why is this a high? Well it was really a defining moment in the meteoric rise of the Takaka road rider in a year which he started to stake his claim to be one of the best riders in the world. A solid run in the Tour de France where he took on more responsibilities in the team would ensue a terrific 2nd in the Commonwealth Games road race in Glasgow a few weeks later. Well done Jacko, and here's to 2015.

5. All Blacks thrashing Wallabies in Auckland - Many have picked the game in Brisbane for their highlight of the year but for me, that game was a bonus even if it was definitely a cliffhanger. For me, the 2nd Bledisloe Cup test of the year was a key one for the ABs, having just drawn with the Wallabies in Sydney. They needed one heck of a performance to ensure that there was no way the Bledisloe Cup was going to Australia for the first time in 11 seasons, and boy did they deliver. This was about as good and clinical as the ABs were this season.

Lows of 2014
1. Death of Phil Hughes - The death of Phil Hughes was the biggest story in Australian sport and world cricket, with the 25-year-old Aussie test batsman's untimely passing sending shockwaves across a sport that had never seen anything like this - the outpouring of grief in the weeks afterwards was immense and continues throughout this Aussie summer of cricket, as batsmen stop at 68 to point their bats to the boy from the banana town of New South Wales.

2. Schumacher and Bianchi fighting for their lives - In a tragic year for F1, young French F1 pilot, Jules Bianchi, is still fighting for his life after suffering a severe head injury in a sickening crash at the Japanese Grand Prix, while Michael Schumacher has embarked on a long road to recovery after his skiiing accident just prior to the turn of the year.

3. Lou Vincent's fall from grace - It was the moment that NZ cricket lost its innocence, as Lou Vincent's cricketing career and reputation all burnt down in a flash. The little attacking batsman will forever be labelled a cheat and questions will be asked - who else was involved? The fingers are currently wagging in the direction of a Mssrs Cairns at the moment - Cairns apparently led Vincent down this dark trail.

4. Luis Suarez's biting incident - On the back of an epic season with Liverpool, Suarez decided to blot his copybook by biting Giorgio Chiellini and then claiming that his teeth happened to be open when he collided with the Italian defender in Uruguay's critical World Cup game against Italy. That the referee failed to see it was incredulous although Suarez would get his punishment post-match - suspended from all football until October - by then, with his relationship with Liverpool now in disarray, Suarez was now a Barca player. A dirty stain on a fine year.

5. Silver Ferns - In a year when New Zealand sports teams and athletes all performed, the Silver Ferns were conspicious for their absence. Without Irene van Dyk who retired mid season, the Ferns limped to the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal Final with Australia who would also hammer them in the Constellation Cup. With limited firepower up front, the Silver Ferns could continue to struggle even though their defence remains as valiant as ever.

Tips for 2015!
1. Patriots beat Seahawks in Super Bowl
2. South Africa win Cricket World Cup
3. Chelsea win Premier League and Champions League
4. West Brom, Burnley and Hull City are relegated from Premier League
5. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Marseille and Juventus win their domestic leagues
6. Queensland bounce back to win State of Origin - Mal Meninga steps down after that
7. Chiefs win Super Rugby title
8. Australia win Asian Cup, the Ashes and Netball World Cup
9. Brisbane Broncos win NRL Grand Final
10. All Blacks beat England to win Rugby World Cup

A Look Back at 2014 - Football!

It's a bit odd doing a review on the football year that was when the 2014/15 season has only started. Alas, there have been enough highlights to cover the 2014 year, i.e. the World Cup, Club World Cup, Champions League, etc. so it warrants a review.

2014 saw the world game somewhat redeem itself on the field, if not off it - Rudi Garcia's report into corruption at the highest levels in FIFA did little to change people's opinions about Sepp Blatter and the governing body, particularly with Qatar further confirmed as hosts of the 2022 World Cup to the dismay of many.

The 2014 World Cup was a commercial and footballing success even if the hosts, Brazil didn't quite deliver in front of their home fans.

Indeed, 2014 might very well be the year that Brazil lost its title as the best footballing nation in the world.

Their replacements could very well be the team that thrashed them so convincingly in Belo Horizonte, i.e. Germany, the new world champions.

After years of promising to deliver, yet failing when it mattered, Joachim Loew's men finally won the biggest prize on offer with some of the best football you'll ever see, played by the best footballers in the world - Kroos, Mueller, Neuer can all claim to be amongst football's elite.

Meanwhile, their fellow Europeans, Spain suffered an alarming if not surprising, fall from grace. For so long, Los Rojas dominated the world game with their tikka-takka football. But like all good sides, players age and the age of the likes of Casillas, Xavi, Fernando Torres and David Villa was evident and once they were beaten 5-1 by the Dutch in their first World Cup game, Spain never really recovered. Just as well that Del Bosque is staying around as he guides the next generation of great Spanish footballers to continue their recent dominance in the European championships.

On the bright side, Spain continue to dominate in club football, with Real Madrid winning their first European title in 12 years and then winning the World Club Cup ahead of San Lorenzo and Auckland City (yes I kid you not). Atletico Madrid sprung a surprise by upsetting the Real Madrid and Barcelona duoply to win the title this season - and they look like they want to be challengers for a while yet based on their current form.

As for New Zealand, club football raised its profile this season what with the rise of Auckland City in the Club World Cup to a shock 3rd place. The Wellington Phoenix are also doing extremely well in the A-League and flying the flag for NZ football albeit on the back of Aussie Nathan Burns.

So without further ado, here's a look back at the world of football for 2014.

Team of the Year (4-3-3 formation) -
GK - Manuel Neuer, Germany

DF - Philipp Lahm, Germany
DF - Mats Hummels, Germany
DF - Vincent Kompany, Belgium
DF - Pablo Zabaleta, Argentina

MF - Toni Kroos, Germany
MF - Angel di Maria, Argentina
MF - James Rodriguez, Colombia

FW - Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
FW - Lionel Messi, Argentina
FW - Arjen Robben, Netherlands

Goal of the Year -
Stephanie Roche, Peamount United v Wexford Youths - there have been some smashing goals this season including James Rodriguez's pearler against Uruguay and Robin van Persie doing things with his head that you didn't thing were possible, but a late shock contender has emerged from the other gender. To be honest, I would not be surprised if Irishwoman, Stephanie Roche's wins the goal of the year comp this year.

Game of the Year -
Brazil 1 Germany 7 -

A Look Back at 2014 - Cricket!

2014 was a roller coaster year of emotions for cricket fans.

On one side, the game experienced death on a high profile scale with the tragic death of 25 year old Australian test cricketer, Philip Hughes in November, sending shockwaves across the cricket world. For the first time, the game itself seemed meaningless compared to the tragedy that unfolded on the SCG and afflicted the Hughes family and Australian cricket fraternity.

The Australian media coverage in regards to Phil's death may have seemed at times not dissimilar to the coverage devoted to the death of Princess Di, but there was no doubt that the sport was clearly grieving for a future Australian cricket legend.

On the bright side, 2014 was the year that the Blackcaps finally seemed to consistently deliver the performances that its fans had wanted for so long.

It started with the West Indies last summer, and on New Year's Eve when Corey Anderson hit that brilliant record hundred. The Blackcaps carried over that performance in the abbreviated series against India, capping the tour with their first test series win against a top 3 side in over 20 years.

The highlight of that series was Brendon McCullum's triple ton at the Basin Reserve to help draw the 2nd test. It was the first time a New Zealander had breached 300 and one of the top 3 sporting highlights of 2014, if not number one, for Kiwi sports fans.

Indeed, 2014 saw the captain really hit the zenith of his career, as he couldn't stop scoring wherever he bat, helping the Blackcaps win the test series in the West Indies and draw the test series in Pakistan. Sri Lanka beckons and a ton in the Boxing Day test in Christchurch would be a fine way to cap a fine season for Baz.

But Baz wasn't the only reason why the Blackcaps made huge progress this season with Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham all shining with the bat - and then there was always ex-captain, Ross Taylor, who came back after a brief exodus from the side. Then there is the bowling attack which has so much depth and balance, that the selectors can afford to be adventurous on any pitch. Tim Southee is the clear leader of the bowling attack with Dan Vettori slowly stepping aside, aptly supported by Trent Boult in the tests and Mitch McClenaghan in the ODIs and T20s.

Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Neil Wagner, Ish Sodhi, Mark Craig, Nathan McCullum and of course Dan Vettori - the selectors can afford to say Doug (Bracewell) and Jesse (Ryder) who?  

So to 2015 - a season which cricket fans can look forward to what with the World Cup, Ashes and the Blackcaps taking on Australia home and abroad later in the year.

Player of the Season - Brendon McCullum.

Performance of the Season - Brendon McCullum's triple ton.

Corey Anderson's rapid hundred comes close though.

Au Revoir Dan!

The worst kept secret in world rugby has finally come out.

Dan Carter will be playing his rugby in France next year with ambitious Parisian club, Racing Metro, writing the Southbridge lad a world record fee for any rugby player - $3 million per season over 3 seasons.

So for Carter, the ideal scenario would be playing his last game for New Zealand rugby in black in the Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham next October, and then catching the Eurostar to Paris to start life in the Top 14.

Racing Metro have been brave in forking out so much money. While there is little doubt that Carter is the best first five in world rugby ever, Carter will be 33 by the time he arrives, so isn't exactly a spring chicken and his luck with injuries in the last couple of seasons hasn't been particularly good - even more so when you consider his brief ill-fated stint with Perpignan in 2009.

On the other hand, the Top 14 isn't as aggressive on the body as Super Rugby or the English Premiership - Jonny Wilkinson managed to eck out a couple more years from his ragged body to lead Toulon to double European success. Dan the man will be hoping to emulate Jonny boy when he starts life in the French capital next year.

Cheers Dan for all the memories - now bring home the bacon for the Crusaders and ABs next year!

A Look Back at 2014 - League!

2014 was a season of redemption for New Zealand rugby league following the disappointment and scandal surrounding the Kiwis' World Cup defence the year before. 

Indeed, it was a stunning turnaround for the Kiwis as the young rising stars of Peta Hiku, Kevin Proctor, Jason Taumololo and Dean Whare carried their stellar form from the NRL into the 4 Nations, taking advantage of a Kangaroos side in transition, yet strong as ever to deservedly win the 4 Nations. 

The fact that the Kangaroos were missing Johnathan Thurston, the best player in the world, should not take away anything from Stephen Kearney's achievements this season which were capped off with a stunning performance in the Final in Wellington. 

The Kiwi forwards were more powerful than their Aussie counterparts in the last two tests against their trans-Tasman counterparts and their backs led by Shaun Johnson made the most of the space created by their powerful forwards. 

Shaun Johnson continues to show his talent, as he finished the year strongly - can he finally translate his talent on a more consistent basis and lead the Warriors to the Grand Final - to be fair, after the mid-season coach change, the Warriors did much better than anyone expected and the future is bright under coach, Andrew McFadden, especially if they could nail the signing of one of the form players of the season, Kieran Foran from Manly. 

Were it not for Dale Cherry-Evans' heroics for Manly this season, Shaun Johnson would have been one of the halfbacks of the season particularly on the back of his efforts in black. 

As for the NRL, they got the finish they wanted - an all-Sydney final and a win to the most famous name in the game. The Rabbitohs have been through a traumatic last 40 years, almost going extinct, but thanks to the efforts of Russell Crowe, Michael Macguire, player of the year, Sam Burgess and his star-studded teammates, the green and red are back where they belong.

Greg Inglis' late try was the icing on the cake for the thousands of Bunnies fans worldwide, completing the most remarkable Lazarus story in Australian sport.

It was a good year for New South Wales, as they finally ended a 8-year-hoodoo in State of Origin to the northerners, triumphing in an epic 2nd game in Sydney, 6-4 for their first series win since 2005. The Blues played a hard-nosed brand of code with their victories in the 1st 2 games all hard-earned, but they couldn't quite contain the Maroons at home in Brisbane who thumped the Blues in the dead rubber 3rd game.

All in all, a fine year for rugby league which continues to rise following a successful World Cup last year. While the loss of its stars, Sam Burgess and Sonny Bill Williams to rugby union, and Dally M winner, Jarryd Hayne to (?) NFL was unfortunate, there are definitely plenty of stars in the game who can take their place - and for once, they don't have to be Aussie, with the Brits and Kiwis starting to show they can be the best in the game.  

Team of the Year - 

1.Jarryd Hayne, Eels

2.Semi Radradra, Eels

3.Dylan Walker, Rabbitohs

4.Jamie Lyon, Sea Eagles

5.Josh Mansour, Panthers

6.Johnathan Thurston, Cowboys

7.Dale Cherry-Evans, Sea Eagles

8.Jesse Bromwich, Storm

9.James Segeyaro, Panthers

10.James Graham, Bulldogs

11.Beau Scott, Knights

12.Simon Mannering, Warriors

13.Sam Burgess, Rabbitohs 

Game of the Year - 

Try of the Year - 

A Look Back at 2014 - Rugby!

2014 saw the IRB make its boldest move yet towards modernisation - a change of name to World Rugby.

On the field, the All Blacks remain the cream of the crop and New Zealand the country to beat as they came and conquered all. They remain the perennial favourites as the young guns continue to develop under the guidance of the old head of Richie McCaw who became world rugby's most capped captain.

the gap between the top tier nations and the rest appears to be closing with the likes of Ireland and Scotland benefiting from the Kiwi influence thanks to Jo Schmidt and Vern Cotter, and Argentina also making big progress against the established SANZAR nations.

On the other hand, some of the established Southern powers took a step back - Australia after a promising start under Ewen McKenzie, ended the season in total disarray and an inexperienced coach at the helm; Michael Cheika has found out that international rugby is a big step up from Super Rugby. South Africa also seemed to go backwards a bit although they were the only side to beat the mighty ABs this season - defeats against Ireland and Wales soured the end to the season and Heynecke Meyer has a big job to do to make the Boks contenders at the World Cup next year.

England also seemed to stagnate a bit after all the buildup over the last couple of seasons. There is no doubting their depth of talent and that they will be a force at next year's World Cup but they still seem to lack the consistency and final killer edge to beat the likes of the All Blacks and Boks when it matters or at least beat their neighbours to win the Six Nations having been billed as favourites.

Ireland made the biggest progress of the season and could emerge as surprise contenders at next year's World Cup at this rate - they're in the same pool as France, Italy, Canada and Romania so must surely back themselves to at least, make the quarterfinals. Winning the Six Nations championship was a big milestone for Jo Schmidt's side who look very well organized and play a good brand of rugby.

Japan and the Pacific Islands also made some strides but remain comparative minnows at best. The gap is clearly going down which is a good sign ahead of next year's rugby extravaganza.

So here's a look back at 2014, the year that was in rugby.

Team of the year -
1.Wyatt Crockett, New Zealand
2.Agustin Creevy, Argentina
3.Mike Ross, Ireland
4.Victor Matfield, South Africa
5.Brodie Retallick, New Zealand
6.Peter O'Mahony, Ireland
7.Michael Hooper, Australia
8.Duane Vermeulen, South Africa
9.Aaron Smith, New Zealand
10.Johnny Sexton, Ireland
11.Julian Savea, New Zealand
12.Jamie Roberts, Wales
13.Malakai Fekitoa, New Zealand
14.Ben Smith, New Zealand
15.Willie le Roux, South Africa

Rookie of the year - Malakai Fekitoa. Out of nowhere, the Auckland born Highlanders centre burst into the black jersey and pretty much made it his own once Ma'a Nonu was ruled out of the season due to injury. Able to play 12 and 13 with consumate ease, Fekitoa is likely to be the future of New Zealand rugby once the Wellington combo of Nonu and Smith eventually bow out. Handre Pollard and Condral Hendricks also get honourable mention.

Game of the year - South Africa 27-25 New Zealand, Johannesburg - another thriller at Ellis Park, but this time it was the hosts who would come out on top, albeit in controversial circumstances with Liam Messam penalised in retrospect after the referee caught his late high tackle on the replay screen - the TV producers and not the refs would be every rugby coach's nemesis this year with the timing of their replays seeming to prove key in some big game-changing decisions.

Moment of the year - Argentina winning their first Rugby Championship game, a 21-17 win over Australia. It may have been ugly but it was deserved in a season where Los Pumas made great strides against their more experienced Southern Hemisphere rivals. Moment of the season for New Zealand rugby was Taranaki winning the NPC title for the first time in their history in front of a sell-out Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth, beating Tasman who along with the Naki, brought back the feelgood factor to New Zealand provincial rugby as they upset the big cities to make the Final of the Premiership.

Try of the year -

RIP Philip Hughes 1988-2014

Australia and the cricketing world is in absolute shock following the announcement of the death of Australian test cricketer, Philip Hughes today.

Hughes who was 25, had been in an induced coma since he became unconscious after taking a bouncer on the back of his head while batting for South Australia against his home state, New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Hughes, who would have turned 26 at the end of the month, was reportedly on the verge of a return to the Australian test side for the upcoming series against India after a solid run in domestic cricket having been dropped from the test side last year after a dismal Ashes series.

Hughes made history by becoming the youngest Australian test cricketer to make his debut at the age of 20 when he was named to open with Simon Katich against South Africa at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Hughes' rise was swift as was his downfall, as his technique was discovered by the English pace attack in the 2009 Ashes series.

Indeed, Hughes would be dropped numerous times from the test side but his talent was very evident for all to see and at age 25, the boy from a town in country NSW which grew bananas was set for a prolonged career with the Baggy Green not dissimilar to fellow Blues, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson.

Alas, we will never see a great talent flourish following this tragedy not dissimilar to Ayrton Senna's in 1994. There will be questions following this tragedy but I hope the governing bodies don't make hasty short-sighted decisions that will damage the game in the long run, i.e. considering banning the bouncer, etc. This is not the time to make changes to the game even as it contemplates its first death as a result of an action in the game.

Finally, thoughts must be with the family as well as rising Aussie fast bowler, Sean Abbott who will forever be affected by this, the latest high profile head injury involving an athlete in the last 12 months after Jules Bianchi and Michael Schumacher.

RIP Philip Hughes 1988-2014

Is this the Best Catch Ever?

The Beckham name has long been associated with great freekicks and goals.

Now it is set to be associated with great catches, thanks to Odell Beckham, Junior. The NFL rookie took this stunning one handed catch for the New York Giants in the Sunday Night Football game against their bitter rivals, the Dallas Cowboys.

Trent Boult et al. eat your heart out!

A Look Back at the 2014 Rugby Season!

9 months after the Chiefs and Crusaders played off in Christchurch, the long 2014 New Zealand rugby season is over with the All Blacks capping off another successful season with a hard-fought win over Wales in Cardiff.

It was always going to be hard to repeat the achievements of the perfect season of 2013 but 2014 should still be regarded as a highly successful season - the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship and beat England in a 3-test series and were unbeaten on their end of year Northern Hemisphere tour.

Moreover, the All Blacks continued to show that a year out from the Rugby World Cup in England, they remain the team to beat even if they aren't quite at the top of their game - their mental strength and endurance are the envy of world rugby with only South Africa (rather fortuitously) overcoming that All Blacks steel in the last 20 minutes to beat them this season.

There will be some criticism about the closeness of the games which the ABs probably would have dominated a couple of years ago, i.e. Scotland and Wales, but that is really to disrespect and discredit the progress the opposition have made under their Kiwi coaches in the last couple of seasons.

The fact that the ABs finished strongly in those games thanks to their depth on the bench should give fans plenty to look forward to in a big year for rugby next year.

Hooker and halfback remain weak points even though Dane Coles, Keven Mealamu and Aaron Smith continue to play starring roles. It's a pity that Nathan Harris got injured early on in the tour as he definitely needed some experience in black, although James Parsons did alright against Scotland. TJ Perenara continues to improve but is nowhere the finished product that Smith is currently - calls for Andy Ellis to make a shock return to black next year are growing ever stronger.

Brodie Retallick, deservedly won IRB Player of the Year - he was definitely an ever-present and consistently the best performing All Black. His absence due to injury was very evident.

Along with Read, McCaw and Aaron Smith, Brodie must surely be one of the ABs' most indispensible players - a credit to his talent given lock is a position with plenty of depth.

So Rugby World Cup year beckons. For once, All Blacks fans can look forward to a more relaxed buildup as champions rather than having the burden of a 20-plus year drought although expectations should remain as high as ever.

However, given the battles that Steve Hansen's men have had to face in the last few years, there is a feeling that 2015 will just be another season for the men in black.

Provincial Rugby
2014 was a memorable year for provincial rugby.

New Zealand had a fine Super Rugby season getting 3 sides into the playoffs, i.e. the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders who ended their 12 year playoff drought on the back of the fine form of Ben Smith and new All Black, Malakai Fekitoa.

The Chiefs and Highlanders unsurprisingly succumbed to the Brumbies and Sharks away from home leaving the Crusaders to fly the flag for New Zealand against the Waratahs in Sydney in the best Super Rugby Final for a long while.

The game was exactly what Australian rugby needed although one might argue that the result probably should have been to the Crusaders who must wait for their 9th Super Rugby title.

The hangover from that final seemed to affect the Canterbury players late on in the ITM Cup. After a flying start which seemed to signal a 7th consecutive title for the red and blacks, a shock defeat to struggling North Harbour marked a downturn of form which saw Canterbury's long reign of the title come to an end - to the joy of many fans who were getting bored by the red and black's dominance of New Zealand provincial rugby.

Taranaki and Tasman benefited from Canterbury's sudden loss of form with Taranaki winning their first national championship ever in front of a sold-out Yarrow Stadium over a determined Tasman side who many did not expect to make it this far in their first ever season in the Premiership.

In fact, it was the Final that rugby romantics in this country have long dreamt about - the season's surprise packages from the newest and smallest rugby base in New Zealand rugby took on a province that has recently more than matched the traditional powerhouses from the cities for the Final.

To cap it off, Hawkes Bay finally kept the Ranfurly Shield for more than a week and the log of wood will spend a hot, hot summer in Napier. At one stage, Southland nearly scuppered that dream but the Bay got the draw that they needed to keep the shield - a shame they couldn't quite beat their neighbours, Manawatu for a place in the top flight.

After years of being so close yet being so far, the provinces finally could claim to be the pride of New Zealand rugby.

Kiwis Win - But Where was the Crowd?

A Kiwis win over the arch-enemy from across the ditch is one of those sporting moments that New Zealand sporting fans should cherish and remember for a while with plenty of fondness.

After all, historically, the Kangaroos have so often had the wood over the Kiwis with a far superior win-loss record even if the Kiwis have started to show in recent years that they can match them on the big occasion - and more importantly win the matches that matter, i.e. tournament finals.

So, perhaps it is a bit mildly disappointing to see a crowd of only 25,000 plus turn up on Saturday night to watch the Rugby League Four Nations Final at the Cake Tin in Wellington, between the home boys and them Aussies.

Given the rarity of the Kiwis playing a game outside Auckland, given that this was a final and a unique opportunity to see a New Zealand side win a major tournament at home - something that doesn't really happen too often, you'd have thought that Westpac Stadium would have sold out in the week.

Alas, as of Friday, 20,000 tickets were sold with 5,000 walking up in the end for the 8:45pm kickoff - and weather could not be used as an excuse, with Wellington putting on a stunner of a warm November evening.

Ok, international rugby league does struggle to sell worldwide even if the reputation of the game has never been better - never has the game seen more credible competition as witnessed by England nearly upsetting Australia in Melbourne, Samoa almost causing the mother of all upsets against the Kiwis in Whangarei, plus the Tongans, French, Irish, Italians etc.

But in a country which considers itself the 2nd largest market for rugby league, anything less than a sellout crowd has to be considered a bit below expectations.

Perhaps the late kickoff of 8:45pm deterred many families from going - the kickoff time was obviously made for television reasons as it would be 6:45pm on the Australian eastern seaboard and 7:45am in England. The thought of being with a crowd of blue collar rugby league fans at that time of the night on a Saturday probably also came into play.

The lack of marketing of the game probably didn't help with the adverts only really coming in the last fortnight - probably a bit too late for many around the country wanting to come to Wellington to watch an international league test and a final at once. Indeed, for months, only avid sports fans knew about this game being in Wellington, yet there was almost zero build-up about this game until the last month when the banners started coming up around the city.

Contrast this to All Blacks tests which have a fan mile going to the stadium from Queens Wharf and a fanzone and you almost would have overlooked that international rugby league's big night was in town.

That I guess should be put down to the organizers of the Four Nations who probably missed a trick by organizing and finalizing this tournament so late - and missed a chance in really pushing rugby league's claims for superiority in the middle of the North Island.

And it's a chance they can't really afford to pass up much given how much sport is played down here - next week we have the cricket, and then the Wellington Phoenix the week after. Plus the fact, that sport has to compete with the hippies and Green party supporters that make up half the city.

Anyway, well done to the Kiwis and apologies to Steve Kearney who I doubted after that humbling World Cup loss last year. Kearney has bounced back well after a harrowing last couple of years with the failed Parramatta job and that World Cup defeat - he cleaned out the garbage from last year and has instilled some exciting players who will be very strong for years to come.

These are exciting fans for NZ rugby league with more players now plying their trade in the NRL as clubs hunt out the best talent from the schools here, and perhaps putting more of their own countrymen in the shadows - never has a Kangaroos side been this weak and susceptible to injury and this could continue as the old guard slowly retires.

Let's hope when the World Cup comes in 2017 we get much better crowds in New Zealand - the Kiwis certainly deserve the sell out crowds that the All Blacks - and All Whites for big World Cup qualifiers - get.

How to Really Grow Rugby in the Big USA

A sell-out crowd turned up to Soldier Field in Chicago on the first day of November to watch the best rugby team in the world take on the hosts. All but one of the crowd turned up to watch top class rugby rather than expecting a USA win over the mighty world champion All Blacks - a monumental shock if that happened anyway.

The game definitely delivered on that count with some scintillating skills through the hands for some sweet tries even if it wasn't quite a defensive masterclass by the hosts.

Trouncing aside, it was a good advertisement for rugby in the USA. The next step now is to make the USA team more competitive - and while high profile games against the All Blacks are great for marketers, it's unlikely the ABs will make frequent visits to the USA unless they want to prepare their players for the tour of the Northern Hemisphere by being 43-6 at halftime against the 20th rated team int the world.

It isn't really good for the morale of the Eagles too.

Indeed, USA soccer isn't where it is now because they kept getting friendlies between Brazil and the USA in the early days - although nowadays, they've gotten Brazil to play their friendlies in places like Miami and Los Angeles, which is something the NZRU could consider in the future against say the Wallabies or South Africa.

The way forward is really having a regular season competition based on the idea of the original NASL, the precedessor to the MLS which attracted the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and Pele in the 1970s. Imagine the likes of Bryan Habana, Dan Carter, etc. all spending the autumn of their careers in the USA.

Former All Black and now commentator, Justin Marshall, once commented that the trouble with rugby was not being able to play in "exotic" places like Barcelona or Hong Kong just because there was no competitive team based there. I reckon players would relish the opportunity to play your professional rugby in New York or San Francisco.

If USA Rugby can market the competition well - which I'm confident they can after the success of this game, then rugby is onto a winner in the USA. A tie up with the Canadians could also be good and make the competition stronger while giving Canadians an opportunity to play professional rugby in their homeland. Canadians have a long history of playing in USA based competitions and it has worked really well, e.g. NHL, NBA and MLB all feature teams from Canada's largest city, Toronto at least with Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg also having franchises in the cash-rich American competitions.

Positioning of the competition is key too - and that's where rugby has a glorious opportunity of being the sole active outdoor winter football code in North America post Super Bowl and college football season. The success and growth of the MLS has been down to not competing with the juggernauts of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB, but complimenting them - and that concept has been followed by the A-League in Australia which has been deliberately positioned to avoid competing with the NRL and AFL.

Late February to May is not a bad time to be playing rugby in North America with spring approaching in most places, especially in California.

Finally, a tie-up with Super Rugby, the English Premiership or French Top 14 could make the North American rugby competition. This is a concept that has been undertaken by the fledgling Indian Premier Soccer League where the likes of Atletico Madrid and Manchester City have bought a percentage of the franchises there. That way, the likes of Leicester, the Crusaders or Bulls could send some of their players to the USA for game time and development.

The future for rugby is bright in the USA - now's really the time to make hay while the sun shines.

All Blacks Team to Play the USA!

The All Blacks enter the cave of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field against the USA in a historic test on Sunday morning New Zealand time, with spots in the squad in surprise demand despite the USA Rugby team's relatively low ranking.

However, with England in the next test at Twickenham, coaches will be keen to rest their first-choice players while blooding the younger talent against lesser opinion. Expect the likes of Carter, McCaw, Read and Barrett to feature although not for the full 80. It might be a chance for the AB coaches to blood some new halfback and hooker talent - two areas previously identified as possible waek spots in the team.

Nevertheless, expect a team that will know how to win - unlike another Chicago based football team whose quarterback was proving to be the biggest waste of money until that rocket blew up yesterday in Florida.

Predicted team?
1.Joe Moody
2.Nathan Harris
3.Charlie Faumuina
4.Patrick Tuipulotu
5.Jeremy Thrush
6.Victor Vito
7.Sam Cane
8.Kieran Read (captain)
9.TJ Perenara
10.Aaron Cruden
11.Charles Piutau
12.Sonny Bill Williams
13.Ryan Crotty
14.Cory Jane
15.Israel Dagg

16.Keven Mealamu
17.Wyatt Crockett
18.Ben Franks
19.Brodie Retallick
20.Liam Messam
21.Augustine Pulu
22.Dan Carter
23.Julian Savea

Highlanders Squad for 2015!

The Highlanders will confirm their 2015 squad today with several signings already announced. Here is the expected squad -

Forwards: Kane Hames, Pingi Tala'apitaga, Ma'afu Fia, Ross Geldenhuys, Josh Hohneck, Brendon Edmonds, Liam Coltman, Ash Dixon, Tom Franklin, Joe Wheeler, Alex Ainley, Mark Reddish, Dan Pryor, Gareth Evans, John Hardie, Shane Christie, Nasi Manu, Elliot Dixon.

Backs: Aaron Smith, Fumiaki Tanaka, Marty Banks, Lima Sopoaga, Hayden Parker, Trent Renata, Shaun Treeby, Jason Emery, Malakai Fekitoa, Richard Buckman, Waisake Naholo, Patrick Osborne, Ben Smith, Kurt Baker.

New boys: Tala'apitaga, Geldenhuys, Hohneck, Edmonds, Dixon, Ainley, Reddish, Pryor, Banks, Naholo.

Gone from 2013: Josh Bekhuis (Blues), Phil Burleigh (Edinburgh), Matias Diaz (released), Jarrad Hoeata (Cardiff), TJ Ioane (released), Chris King (Montpellier), Brayden Mitchell (released), Willie Ripia (released), Winston Stanley (released), Brad Thorn (Leicester), Frae Wilson (Hurricanes) 

Wider training group: Sam Anderson-Heather, Joe Latta, Lee Allan, Josh Renton, Tei Walden, Ryan Tongia.

What is Wrong with the Silver Ferns?

In 1998, the All Blacks experienced their annus horriblis, finishing the year with 5 losses in a row. Back then, the media reaction was brutal even though the All Blacks had clearly just gone through a major transition as a result of coping with the retirements of Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke.

16 years on, New Zealand's third most followed team is definitely in the middle of its annus horriblis - 6 losses in a row with a game to play against England to redeem something from a nightmare season.

There is a bit of a sense of deja vu, what with the shock retirement of Irene van Dyk denying the Silver Ferns the best goal shoot in the world as well as a season-ending injury to captain Casey Kopua - although the Ferns were playing poorly even with the inspirational Kopua at the back.

There are lots of young players in the squad but the chasm between experience and youth is bigger than it has ever been. The lack of experience to draw from to get out of this losing run is evident.

The ironic thing with this run is that New Zealand netball is in a better place than it has been - there are more players coming through lured by the semi-professional nature of the game and there is more TV money thanks to New Zealand netball's deal with Sky. This despite the fact that more girls are spending their Saturdays and Sundays working at Glassons and Jeanswest rather than out in the netball court. This despite the fact that girls in New Zealand have more choice when it comes to sport, i.e. being able to play rugby, soccer, hockey, etc.

For coach, Waimarama Taumaunu, a win against England is vital now as a morale booster - a 7th defeat in a row could possibly seal her fate in the job and put New Zealand netball at its lowest ebb. To be 2nd behind Australia, whilst unacceptable is somewhat tolerable. To be 3rd best in the world, is an absolute disaster for a country that prides itself as being one of the top 2 netball powers in the world.

With the 2015 World Cup in Sydney next year and the lack of experience clear to see in the Silver Ferns, could a SOS call to Irene van Dyk be on the cards? It might look like a step backwards but the Silver Ferns could not be any more further behind Australia than they are right now.

Any move to turn it around for the Silver Ferns will be quite desperate but vital if the sport is to not undo all the hard work of making it as financially viable as rugby in this country.

Rugby Is (Definitely) Alive and Kicking!

The last 5 days have been wonderful for the game of rugby.

Firstly, the news that Japan will get the 18th Super Rugby franchise in the competition's next round of expansion in 2016 is a very good one for growth of the game in Asia. I think it's the best move for the game given that Japan deserves a chance to move to the next level - the country already has a growing rugby culture and infrastructure.

Singapore produced a compelling bid and travel wise would have been a more practical option for the travelling South African sides but unlike Japan, rugby very much remains an expatriate's game and there is also no professional league. Perhaps, it's bid was hit by the failure of the pitch at the new Singapore Sports Hub to perform to scratch during a recent Brazil v Japan soccer friendly - the NZ Maori All Blacks were meant to play the Asia Pacific Dragons there, but the game has been cancelled due to concerns about the pitch.

Singapore will gets its chance in the future as rugby continues to expand, but the 18th Japanese team will provide a sterner challenge to the established Super Rugby teams with its Top League stars, local and international. Also, crowds for the team, expected to be based in Tokyo but possibly playing games in Hong Kong and Singapore to be huge, and probably bigger than they would have been at the Sports Hub in Kallang, week in week out.

The next step really is for Japan's Super Rugby franchise to become the top of the pyramid for all of Asian rugby - time for the likes of China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. to get their rugby leagues up to scratch.

Secondly, New Zealand provincial rugby finally got the boost it badly needed in the face of questions of its irrelevance from Super Rugby, when Taranaki and Tasman played out a 36-32 thriller of a Premiership Final in the heart of New Zealand provincial rugby.

While Canterbury's 6 consecutive titles is a feat that should be admired, it lacked the romance and passion of a Taranaki or Tasman Championship win, and it was good that after 34 years, a side outside the big "5" cities was champion of New Zealand provincial rugby.

Ok, New Plymouth is actually a fast growing city and likely to pass Dunedin, one of the big 5, in the next 10 years thanks to the Maui gas field and wealthy dairy industry, but it is still historically is a provincial city, the heart and nerve centre of the Taranaki region - absolutely nothing to be ashamed of and in fact, something to be very proud of, especially with such a terrific rugby team.

Amber and black fans probably would never have dreamt of seeing their side being crowned the best side in New Zealand provincial rugby so it was just lovely to see the crowd invade the pitch at the final whistle for a historic moment - and a moment that might very well never be repeated given that New Zealand rugby's balance is still very much in the cities, much as Taranaki, Tasman, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay have shown that they have the passion for the game.

And wasn't it great to see the Tasman fans, glorious and magnaminous in defeat, form a circle around their much-loved players at the end of the game. Only 5 years ago, the Tasman union was set to spend time with Mid Canterbury and Buller - indeed the marriage of Nelson Bays and Marlborough was certain for a swift divorce. To make it to the Final of the Premiership is a remarkable win in itself for New Zealand's youngest unions, and surely now, more bright days beckon as more rugby players consider Nelson and Blenheim to be pretty good places to ply their trade.

So, New Zealand rugby finishes the season in rude health, with a historic game in Chicago for the All Blacks to come. And there's next year's Rugby World Cup to come!

Are We On the Verge of a European Super League?

A European Super League is set to become a reality if Michel Platini has his way.

With UEFA trying to increase the appeal of the Europa League amidst the growing success and popularity of its premiere Champions League, a merger of the Champions and Europa Leagues to form a 64-team European Super League is an option that should be seriously considered.

With the English, Spanish and German leagues running away from the rest of Europe in terms of revenue, the 64-team European Super League could be a way for the elite teams from the rest of Europe's leagues to catch up and compete with the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

It would also make the cup competitions in each country far more attractive.

The format of the competition remains to be seen although it is likely we will see 16 groups of 4 with the top 2 from each group going through to compete for the Champions Cup.

There will be concerns over dilution of Europe's premiere competition - however, the clubs from the less high profile leagues will be happy to finally be included in the big pot of gold that is what is currently the Champions League. It will also give more relevance to the fixtures that currently make up the Europa League.

Is There Still a Place for Dan in the ABs?

On Saturday night, the All Blacks completed a remarkable turnaround against their neighbours across the ditch - thus completing a successful Southern Hemisphere international season.

First-five Colin Slade came off the bench to nail the winning penalty against the Wallabies in Brisbane, coming on for Beauden Barrett who had featured in the last three All Blacks' tests.

Meanwhile, legendary first five, Dan Carter, sat out Canterbury's defeat to Tasman in their ITM Cup Premiership Semifinal in Nelson, nursing another injury. Since his return from a long-term injury which had ruled him out of the Rugby Championship, Carter had only featured for 40 minutes for Canterbury against Southland and faces a race against time to be fit for the All Blacks' end of year tour.

Considering Carter's injuries over the last four seasons as well as his age and the fact that even with his initial understudy, Aaron Cruden dropped for the last three tests for his indiscretions prior to the All Blacks' tour of Argentina and South Africa, is there still a place for our greatest ever first five?

Dan Carter's status in All Blacks and rugby legend is secure but in his early 30s, Dan Carter is definitely in the autumn of his career and is clearly more prone to injuries after a 100-plus test career, although when he's playing at his best, there is no doubting his quality, thus underlining the old cliche - form is temporary, class is permanent.

Even so, with so many first fives of class in New Zealand rugby, the All Blacks face a position where they can go to a Rugby World Cup contemplating a campaign without Dan Carter, without any fear and with a degree of nonchalance to the point they can ask, Dan who? Indeed, the same might apply to Richie McCaw to some extent with some arguing that the loss of Kieran Read would currently be the most fatal to the ABs.

With the end of year tour set to be the dress rehearsal for the World Cup, there is plenty to play for for four of New Zealand's best first-fives - Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade. Only two first fives will be named come August next year - and one of them will feature in the "big" games, while the other will be filling in against the likes of Russia.

And given Colin Slade might have finally dusted off his reputation as being a choker, Dan Carter might not even make that flight to London in September 2015.

Ewen McKenzie Quits! Who Will Replace Him?

Ewen McKenzie's reign as Wallabies coach is over. In fact, it was over regardless of whether or not the Wallabies beat the All Blacks last night as Ewen had made his decision prior to the 29-28 loss, the Australians' 10th straight game without a win against the New Zealanders.

I wonder if the move was a bit premature - the Wallabies did show some improvement this season although there were clear issues off the field, i.e. Kurtley Beale, Di Patston, that would ensure McKenzie's reign would end on a sour note. Yes, the Wallabies didn't actually play the most exciting brand of rugby right now but they seemed to have gain some structure and determination in their game which had been lacking in the last couple of seasons, even if they still lacked the cutting edge and decisive KO punch of the ABs and other sides.

With only 2 weeks to go before the end of year tour, the race is on to replace Ewen McKenzie. Who will take his place?

1. Michael Cheika - The Waratahs coach is one of the favourites to land the role after a great season which saw the NSW side finally shed their underperformers tag. Chieka appears to have found the formula to unite what has often been a disjointed dressing room - something which the Wallabies appear to need. Cheika also knows many of the Wallabies including the troubled Kurtley Beale, so a transition should be fairly easy.

2. Jake White - Another favourite - White recently and sensationally quit as technical director of the Sharks and is set to be a technical adviser for Tonga for this autumn's tour. Probably should have got the role after Robbie Deans quit following the Lions tour and is now set for a second bite at the role - although it may have to be after the end of year tour given his commitments to Tonga. Would it be too late for White to do his magic for the Wallabies though?

3. George Gregan - Australia's most capped player and current Fox Sports commentator was assistant Brumbies coach in 2012 to current coach and former teammate, Stephen Larkham. Gregan has the respect of many in Australian rugby and could be tempted to coach the Wallabies for 6 weeks at the end of the year while the ARU prepare to sign Jake White for 2015. Long shot for long term role, maybe shorter odds for caretaker role.

All Blacks End of Year Tour Squad?

courtesy of Reuters

The All Blacks will name their squad for the end of year tour to the USA, England, Scotland and Wales on Monday, with the 33 names likely to be quite familiar to NZ rugby fans.

Indeed, this is set to be the final chance for players to press their claims in the Rugby World Cup squad for next year as this tour sets to become a dress rehearsal for rugby's big show in England in 2015.

With Tony Woodcock and Ma'a Nonu out due to injury, it is a chance for the likes of Joe Moody, Wyatt Crockett, Sonny Bill Williams and Malakai Fekitoa to press their claims to be the first names on the starting XV while Beauden Barrett will be keen to make it hard for the returning Dan Carter who should make the flight to Chicago after an injury-plagued season.

Also missing is Tawera Kerr-Barlow who suffered a season-ending injury against the Boks in Johannesburg

My tips for the squad -

Props - Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Joe Moody
Hookers - Dane Coles, Keven Mealamu, Nathan Harris
Locks - Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Jeremy Thrush, Dominic Bird
Loose Forwards - Jerome Kaino, Liam Messam, Richie McCaw, Steven Luatua, Sam Cane, Kieran Read
Halfbacks - Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Augustine Pulu
First Fives - Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden
Centres - Malakai Fekitoa, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty
Outside Backs - Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Charles Piutau

Has the Beauden Barrett Era Begun?

It's official. Beauden Barrett is and will be the first name that the coaches will pick in their All Blacks starting XV at number 10.

That's according to head coach, Steve Hansen as he moved to clear the air over the first five position with Dan Carter struggling to shake off his injury woes and Aaron Cruden struggling to shake off the consequences of his late night out last month.

Barrett over Cruden? Based on this season, it is a very fair call. While the Hurricanes failed to make the playoffs (again), Barrett's form was consistently at a high level while Cruden was sidelined with injury and showed indifferent form when he played. Cruden improved immeasurably after the disappointing draw in Sydney and his place in the starting XV seemed assured until the return of Dan Carter.

Over the long run, it's neck and neck between Barrett and Cruden, both fine talented and intelligent playmakers. In attack, they are lightning and capable of spotting a gap.

In defence, Cruden has definitely got the reputation as a mean tackler while Barrett has had to work on his defence early on in his career and is certainly no longer a gaping hole in the backline. Indeed, his pace - and for that matter, determination and heart - is a prized asset having stopped a couple of certain intercept tries in recent times.

Barrett over Carter? Tough comparison really given they are both from different generations and are heading in opposite directions in their careers. However, the start of both their careers seems similar - both were thrust into their provinces at a young age and both made their All Blacks starts at a young age and spent their first games in black in positions other than first five, i.e. Carter at second five, Barrett at fullback.

Barrett has the ingredients to be as great a first five as Dan Carter if not better - Carter's current legendary status was given a lightning start by the once-in-a-lifetime British Lions series in 2005, although Barrett has the chance to book his name in the All Blacks hall of fame with a similar performance when the Lions come by in 2017. Barrett's performances against Argentina and South Africa were not dissimilar to Carter's first games at first-five in 2004 - spectacular in attack and just as good with the goal kicking.

So, Barrett is our first choice first-five and our best first-five right now. And I predict he will be the first choice first-five at the Rugby World Cup next year. A remarkable feat given the incredible depth New Zealand rugby has in that position right now and the players Barrett has had to beat to nail the position.

Jarryd Hayne Star in the NFL!

The NRL was shocked by the announcement today that Parramatta Eels, New South Wales and Fijian rugby league star, Jarryd Hayne was set to quit the Eels and rugby league.

The reason?

To have a go at the NFL.

It's one of the odder reasons for departure and the discussions and shocks are set to reverberate for a couple of weeks yet. But once the dust settles, the one lingering question will be - can Jarryd Hayne be a success in the NFL?

At 26, in terms of age, Hayne is sort of in the middle of the spectrum of NFL players. However, take out quarterbacks like the evergreen, in-their-late-30s Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, and you'll find that Jarryd Hayne is a bit old to be making his NFL debut.

Indeed, in the running back position which Hayne is aiming for, he is a bit older than rising stars like Trent Richardson (23). Hayne is 2 years older than the controversial but talented Adrian Peterson (29) and Chris Johnson (29).

Jarryd Hayne does have talent with his feet as well as power in his running - however, being a running back in the NFL really requires power in running. Not only that, running backs take a heck of a pounding from defensive lines - much more than in league - and don't often last that long - although if Jarryd is after a short stint in the NFL, that might suit him.

Alternative positions? Perhaps a wide receiver but Hayne doesn't really have the height to compete even if he is fairly solid in the air. Mind you, Danny Woodhead, Julian Edelman, Eric Decker and Wes Welker are one of the smallest players in the league and they've done quite well at wide receiver.

However, the biggest problem with Jarryd is that NFL teams are 99 times out of 100 more likely to prefer college football players or established NFL players with the odd player from AFL or rugby picked up in the last 10 years - but they're as rare as a blue moon.

Even with the long pre-season campaign of training and learning the rules, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed a spot on the team. Go ask Tim Tebow.

Heck, if even a former Heisman Trophy (College Football MVP) like Tebow can't get into any of the 32 NFL franchises, what chance does a nobody in America like Jarryd Hayne have?

I guess the fact that Hayne would be considered a free agent and have a low price tag means that he is quite dispensible to teams - contrast that to college players in the draft who have a price tag attached to them and the value is dependent on where they end up in the draft.

To be honest, a spot in the special teams might be considered a success for Hayne - special teams are so integral to the NFL nowadays as we've seen with the Seahawks, with the success of kickoff/punt returners like Devin Hester and Patrick Peterson.

Jarryd Hayne looks like he might be aiming for a spot in the Seattle Seahawks, the current Super Bowl champions. He could not have picked a better side - coach Pete Carroll has moulded the best football team in the country with a mean defence and brutal offence.

Russell Wilson to... Jarryd Hayne?

Jarryd Hayne rotating with Marshawn Lynch and working with Russell Wilson? It's not as far fetched as you might believe!

Who Should Lead the Wallabies?

Once again, Australian rugby is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Just when rugby fans in the lucky country thought that they had seen the last of the off-field indiscretions that have dogged Australian rugby in the last 8 years, the latest saga surrounding Kurtley Beale, coach Ewen McKenzie and former ARU Business Manager, Di Patston has once again put a struggling sport under public scrutiny.

It appears that Ewen McKenzie will be Wallabies coach for the foreseeable future but his position within Australian rugby is considerably weaker than it was when he was first appointed coach last year - a disastrous tour of South Africa and Argentina as well as yet another failed Bledisloe Cup campaign have blotted the former Reds coach's copybook.

Out of the current crop of Aussie coaches, Ewen McKenzie is still the man to lead the Wallabies - there have been calls for Waratahs coach, Michael Cheika to take over but really his credentials and background are too similar to Ewen McKenzie's and to a certain extent, Robbie Deans - success at Super Rugby level doesn't necessarily mean success at international level.

The problem is the current crop of Aussie coaches is not particularly great and Australian rugby probably blew a big opportunity by not picking Jake White when he was Brumbies coach and going for McKenzie - perhaps after the failure of Robbie Deans in the Lions series, the ARU were too afraid to pick another foreign coach and became too conservative.

That in itself is another problem - the ARU are still a conservative outfit that are lagging behind its Trans-Tasman rivals. Their efforts to try and boost the popularity of rugby union in the country should be lauded but the problem is that the Wallabies right now aren't the All Blacks - they are a top 5 team, not a top 2 team right now and in a country where sporting success is a very important selling point, the Wallabies don't hold many cards.

There remain some cultural issues as well as a lack of professionalism in the national body while the Super Rugby outfits continue to do well - a sign that there is really nothing wrong with the sport in Australia apart from at the top.

The quicker Australian rugby can get its act together, the better for world rugby and the better for the Bledisloe Cup - much as we love seeing the ABs win and win again.  

Would You Watch Sport On Demand?

Sports broadcasting is on the verge of its biggest revolution since the introduction of subscription TV, i.e. you have to pay for Sky to watch the live sport you want.

With improving broadband connections, the internet has already superseded the TV in many ways, i.e. why wait for TV to show the latest episode of Game of Thrones when you can download it online - illegally or otherwise. Plus, you don't have those flippin commercials - well less of them at least depending on where you're watching them.

Indeed, for general TV shows, broadcasters including TVNZ and Mediaworks are embracing this trend with their On-Demand apps - some shows can only be exclusively watched On Demand, encouraging viewers to check it out.

The delineation between TV and internet has started to affect sport too. Already in the US, the 4 major professional sports are available on broadband with highlights available for free in some cases and full live games for a subscriber fee.

In fact, in New Zealand, the Premier League is the first case where a major sport is effectively available only online thanks to Premierleaguepass - forget the fact that TV One shows one live game a week and that Sky and Sommet show delayed coverage of games via club TV channels, the Premier League package in New Zealand requires a broadband connection and a subscription. Remarkably, many people signed up for it and more have signed up for it this season, giving Colisseum some clout in the new era of On Demand sport.

Seeing this trend, Sky is considering season ticket packages tailored to fans who just want to pay for the rugby or cricket - it is likely that people who have these packages would be able to watch games delayed or highlights - and other miscellanous shows of interest - on their laptops.

Sport on Demand is clearly the way to go in the future and there are quite a lot of benefits for viewers and spectators.

Could having the ITM Cup on Demand mean all games kicking off on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and you just needing to select what game you're interested in?

This in my opinion could be great particularly for the last weekend of the season where I feel that it would have been more exciting having Tasman, Taranaki, Otago, Southland and North Harbour all play their games at the same time given what they need to do to grab 1st place in the Premiership for Tasman and Taranaki or the latter four to grab 4th place in the Championship.

On Demand TV could mean that regional restrictions could be placed for particular games, i.e. broadcasters could make certain games unavailable in areas where a game is being played, getting people to go to the grounds, as they do with the NFL. I guess the legalities of being able to enforce that would need to be looked into further.

What about having the All Blacks on Demand? Could we have All Blacks games back on Saturday afternoons like in the old days and people can watch the game On Demand at the pub later across the country and internationally? Could laws be put in place so that results or highlights aren't published by media outlets until the following day?

I think the ABs will probably remain on Saturday night as long as that is where TV revenue globally and domestically is most profitable for the broadcaster and union but the idea of watching the ABs on Demand is definitely one to contemplate.

Sport On Demand has opened up new horizons for sports broadcasters and there's so much more to come that we never thought would be possible.

Where Should the Warriors Play?

The battle to home the Warriors in the near future is on. With doubts over the future of Mount Smart Stadium from 2016 onwards, Eden Park, QBE Stadium and Westpac Stadium have emerged as contenders to be home of the Vodafone Warriors for the near future.

Of course, the Warriors are fighting to stay at their spiritual home in Penrose having been there since inception in 1995 but Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) and Warriors ownership are at loggerheads over the value of renovating Mount Smart Stadium into the world-class facility for $70 million dollars that the NRL wants for the Warriors.

Indeed, the RFA are saying that that money would be better spent upgrading QBE Stadium (North Harbour Stadium) into a partially enclosed stadium and then moving the Warriors there. Of course, whether a move to the white collar suburbs of the North Shore is palatable for the predominantly blue collar Warriors fan base from South Auckland remains to be seen.

Hence, Eden Park remains quite possibly the Warriors' likely long-term home from 2016. Eden Park is still looking to cover the cost of the redevelopment of the stadium and having the Warriors might very well help that while Auckland and the Blues struggle to fill out Eden Park. Plus with Eden Park accessible to the train network via Kingsland station, South Auckland fans would probably prefer a move to Mount Eden rather than Albany where a change to the buses will be necessary.

Of course, the 4th and most unlikely option is a move to Wellington and Westpac Stadium - already host to the Hurricanes, Wellington rugby and the Wellington Phoenix. Wellington does have a strong rugby league base in Wainouimata but Westpac Stadium is not exactly the greatest of venues for code and while it will get good crowds for Warriors games, whether it can host a season of Warriors games remains to be seen - remember the crowds for that Bulldogs game in 2004?

Ideally, a stay at Mount Smart would be great but I reckon if they don't stay there, Eden Park could be the Warriors' future.

Jules Bianchi - F1 in Dilemma!

F1 faces its biggest dilemma on driver safety not seen in over 20 years. Questions are now being asked in the wake of the horrific crash that has seen one of F1's rising stars fighting for his life in a hospital in Japan.

While Jules Bianchi's condition is now stable albeit remains critical, many are asking questions about the race and the sport in general.

As a long-time F1 fan, it is natural for the inquisition to start in the wake of such a major incident. However, there should be caution in response to the accident.

Firstly, in response to whether the race should have been run at the time it was scheduled, I think there was nothing wrong with the organizers sticking to the scheduled time agreed a year ago when the F1 calendar was finalized. Indeed, the concern was more over the safety of fans going to and fro Suzuka which were alleviated as the weather turned out to be less dire than initially first thought earlier in the week, when news of the super typhoon broke.

The decision to race at the scheduled time, and then firstly to start under the safety car, red flag it because of the persistent rain, then attempt a restart once the rain had settled was the right one and as it transpired, the race ran with no incident - indeed, the only retirement from the race was from Fernando Alonso as the result of a technical issue with his Ferrari, which is quite stunning given that wet races have always resulted in lots of crashes and retirements.

I guess the one call I would question is not pulling out the safety car as soon as Sutil had crashed and it was clear his car needed to be moved by the crane - conditions at that stage had clearly deteriorated and visibility was poor for the drivers meaning the double waved yellows may have been missed by Jules Bianchi. Having the crane on the track is protocol to remove any car from a dangerous position off the track - maybe F1 could heed the call of Indycar and always have a safety car when a crane or marshall has to go on the track to remove a car.  

F1 should not stop racing in the rain after this incident. I'm not saying it just because wet races are always exciting even if they make it more dangerous for racers. I'm saying it because Jules Bianchi would not want F1 to ditch wet races even after his massive crash. In these PC and sanitised days, sport finds itself trying to make itself foolproof for the masses - F1 has always been a dangerous sport and the drivers and teams and fans know of the risks that they are likely to face.

Right now, while the investigations continue, so should the prayers for Jules as he faces the most difficult race of his life.

'Tastic Tasman!

There will be plenty of feel-good sports stories to look back when New Year's Eve comes along later this year.

One of them has got to be the rise of Tasman Rugby Football Union, i.e. the Makos, as a force in provincial rugby.

In terms of population, Tasman is fighting it out with Southland for the title of smallest provincial union in New Zealand although Tasman could argue that it has just as much rugby heritage as Southland courtesy of its sub-unions Nelson Bays and Marlborough - the first rugby game was of course played in Nelson.

Even so, the top of the South Island has never been a rugby powerhouse in the country even with the amalgamation of Nelson Bays and Marlborough in 2006 to compete in the new professional Air New Zealand Cup. In fact, the marriage was heading for a quick divorce not dissimilar to the ill-fated Central Vikings union of the 1990s, as the global financial crisis along with the tiny population base threatened to end Tasman before it even could get going.

Alas, the New Zealand Rugby Union stepped in to intervene and save Tasman and after years of consolidation in the lower reaches of the provincial rugby, Tasman really came alive when the ITM Cup split into the Premiership and Championship thanks to some great young players who have since gained Super Rugby contracts, i.e. Joe Wheeler, the Marshall brothers, James Lowe, Marty Banks, Shane Christie and Tim Perry.

Tasman's success has not really come down to its academy although James Lowe, Tom and James Marshall and Marty Banks can claim to be local boys, but rather picking up experienced players who can't quite fit into the salary cap of the bigger city provinces, attracted by living in quite a nice part of New Zealand, along with their free, underdog spirit that has seen them win their fight against extinction.

Tasman have always played a very attractive brand of rugby - helped by near-Mediterranean conditions at the top of the South Island in late winter and early spring - and now backed with a good forward pack, they've emerged from Championship strugglers to potential Premiership champions.

In an era of provincial rugby where the provinces have got the wood over the cities, it shouldn't be a surprise to see a side from the countryside ahead of the usual suspects of Canterbury and Auckland. Perhaps, it is a surprise to see a newcomer to the Premiership, a side that a season ago was least expected to be promoted to the Premiership to play the likes of Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato and Wellington in the top flight.

Why wouldn't you want to play your rugby here? 

Alas, that is the story of this fledgling union in a region experiencing economic and population growth - if things continue, the unions will have to convince the Nelson City and Marlborough District Councils to upgrade Trafalgar and Lansdowne Parks respectively to take advantage of the surprise rise of the region as a provincial rugby power.

Even if Tasman don't quite pull off winning the Premiership the season after winning the Championship, they can still call this season the best in their history and hopefully a stepping stone for things to come.

Are the All Blacks in Decline?

The All Blacks lost a tight encounter against the Springboks 27-25 in Johannesburg overnight. It was the first loss the ABs had suffered to the Boks since Steve Hansen took over as head coach and only their 2nd loss in 3 seasons.

Granted it was also a "dead rubber" with the Rugby Championship already sewn up in favour of the All Blacks - although when is a test match between the All Blacks and its greatest Southern Hemisphere rivals, South Africa and Australia ever a dead rubber?

In the end, that might have played into the minds of an All Blacks side as they entered the noisy cauldron of Ellis Park against a very motivated Springboks side who were looking for their first win against the ABs in 3 years - hard to believe really given these are the two best sides in world rugby right now on the evidence of this encounter.

Shock horror, the ABs have lost and questions will be asked about what went wrong.

Indeed, with 3 quarters of the international season finished now, there are a couple things of concern that should be addressed in the Northern Hemisphere tour and less than a year out from the World Cup.

I think the All Blacks, the reigning World Champions have entered a decline this season on evidence of the performances so far this season. But it's not the sort of "decline" that is terminal or entails a crisis. It's more of a natural decline that one expects from all great sporting sides and athletes after a period of greatness - Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona have all experienced it - a point where athletes start to perform below the astronomical standards that they've set in previous seasons.

I don't think the ABs have quite performed as well as they did in 2013 - besides that test against the Wallabies at Eden Park, there are times where the ABs have had to fight back or withstand great pressure from resurgent Springboks and English sides.

A couple of issues - the veterans who have been the ABs' spine for so long are definitely starting to show a bit of their age, e.g. Tony Woodcock and Dan Carter's absence due to injury, while Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith aren't quite the sprightly athlete that they were. Ma'a Nonu has also had an injury disrupted season and there are now doubts as to whether he'll be around for the World Cup defence next year with French clubs calling.  

Fortunately, the likes of Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick, Julian Savea, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Israel Dagg have picked up from their stunning recent form of the last couple of seasons and continue to be the stars of the team. The rise of Beauden Barrett and Malakai Fekitoa has also given selectors heart - These guys must surely be the most important players at next year's World Cup rather than Richie or Dan although Read and Dagg aside, these guys lack World Cup experience. Mind you, it might be a good thing not having the burden of past World Cups on their shoulders like previous World Cup squads.

There are two key positions where depth and coverage is a big concern, i.e. halfback and hooker. Aaron Smith, Dane Coles and Keven Mealamu are excellent on the field but there's a real risk that the All Blacks could find themselves in a hole if anyone of those three get injured. Thankfully there is still time for Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Nathan Harris and Liam Coltman to allay those concerns.

However, the ABs face a slightly perilous position compared to 2011 when the ABs had great depth in those positions. As the past has shown, blooding rookies at Rugby World Cup time particularly in such specialist positions has been the ABs' downfall.

In the end, this loss could very well be a blip and if recent history continues, the ABs will bounce back in Brisbane and thrash the Wallabies and get back to winning ways.  

In the meantime though, hopefully this charity loss to the Boks doesn't come back to bite the ABs next year.