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.

Wellington Are Relegated!

Premier League relegation cheer has hit Wellington

Wellington are officially relegated from the ITM Premiership.

Their fate which had long been coming after an absolutely dire season, was sealed in Napier tonight with a 36-14 defeat that also ensured the Ranfurly Shield would stay in the Bay for a while yet.

Wellington, bereft of confidence all season, were absolutely outclassed by an in-form Hawkes Bay side and there will be huge repercussions from top to bottom as to how one of the country's biggest unions in its third largest city could go from finalists last season to relegation the next.

Oh well, it'll be a bit like the Scottish Championship this season with giants, Hearts, Rangers, Hibernian all in it next season then?

Is This the End of Tom Brady?

The 2014 NFL season has been conspicuous for a couple of things so far - it's inability to stay away from the headlines for the wrong reasons, and Tom Brady as an elite quarterback.

In fact, it is ironic that at the start of the season where the NFL's greatest stars, i.e. Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson have been charged for assault, it's "model athlete", "role model" is probably playing the worst football of his life.

However, it shouldn't be a surprise at age 37 after 13 years in the sport that you're not quite performing as well as you might have last season or 5 years ago. It just shows you how high a level Tom Brady has been operating for much of his career and how difficult it is to break all those records for passing yards, touchdowns and to win all those MVPs and Super Bowls.

Tom Brady delivered a premium product, as good as it got, in his prime which seems to have ended after the 2011 Super Bowl loss to the Giants.

Yes, assisted by a weak division, Brady still got the Pats into the playoffs, their customary position each season - although that is a bit like Manchester United expecting to make the Champions League each season. But, the Pats were always going to be beaten by a better side, i.e. the Ravens and Broncos who both would make the Super Bowl.

This season though, the AFC East division has strengthened and at the same time, the Patriots have weakened. It is said that the Patriots offence is really Tom Brady and if he's not performing, then the whole offence fails. Of course, one must also consider the inexperience in the linebackers, the lack of a decent wide-receiver and the Gronk missing in action.

The Patriots should still make the playoffs but the decline is clearly in motion and for Pats fans, the future is a bit frightening. Jimmy Garropolo did respectably in his first game for the Pats but he's no Tom Brady (yet). There are not really any good QBs in college football at the moment so there'll be a big hole to fill at QB once Brady hangs up his boots. It's a pity that the Pats didn't hang on to Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, who is now at the Houston Texans fighting for a starting berth.

Make no mistake, Brady is a great player and will always be remembered as a great player, a legend of the game - his place in the NFL Hall of Fame is guaranteed barring any unknown bad habits that we don't know about. But so were Brett Favre, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas - they're all human at the end of the day and have a best by date.

Oh well, now we know what Manchester United fans are feeling right now.