It was business as usual for Europe's big leagues in the post World Cup season.

Europe's current juggernauts, Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris St Germain were all crowned champion in pretty straightforward style and none of them needed the final round of games to decide their fate - indeed, this season was devoid of the thrilling finale that the Premier League and La Liga had the season before.

Thankfully, there's more to football than just watching the champions - otherwise, following the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus dominate their leagues over the last few seasons would induce instant boredom.

Indeed, this season witnessed plenty of revivals of former champions.

PSV Eindhoven won their first Dutch league title in several years, breaking the recent domination of Ajax Amsterdam. 10 years ago, PSV were minutes away from meeting Liverpool in the Champions League Final, only for AC Milan to score a late away goal to go through. However, with Dutch football much further behind the rest of Europe - and star striker, Memphis Depay heading to Manchester United - it will be difficult to see PSV be competitive against the giants of Europe.

Around the same time, Lyon were in the middle of their dominance of French football that not even PSG can boast about for all their wealth. After 7 titles in a row, Lyon's decline began and 2nd behind eventual champions, Marseille in 2009-10 would be their best result over the next 6 seasons. This season saw a OL revival which only faded right at the end of the season and cost them the Ligue 1 title to billionaires, Paris St Germain.

Another former champion, Valencia, made the most of their new found wealth from Singapore and returned to the Champions League with an exciting young lineup led by young Spanish striker, Paco Alcacer. They were easily the 4th best team in Spain behind Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, a side that they will hope to emulate next season and return to pushing the big city clubs like they did in the last decade.

However, the biggest revival story of this season was the return of Italian football as a respectable force in Europe.

In recent times, Italy's once numero uno Serie A has followed the country's economy into recession, with the likes of Internazionale and AC Milan hitting hard times - both clubs failed to make it into Europe, languishing in midtable. Juventus romped away with the Scudetto in their wake but the Old Lady of Turin struggled to make an impact on Europe until this season, as a determined effort saw them overcome last season's European champions, Real Madrid to book a place in the Final.

A pity that Napoli and Fiorentina both succumbed in the semifinal stages of the Europa League to Sevilla and Dnipro as it would have completed a fine return of form for Italian football - and along with Juve's appearance in Berlin, help boost Italian football's UEFA rankings and gain back another spot in the Champions League.

Italy's Serie A is still a long way from matching the Premier League and Bundesliga for offering a family friendly product as crowd violence and hooliganism in dilapidated stadia continue to be a problem, but the signs are that Serie A's revival is not far away with the likes of AC Milan, Roma, Verona, Lazio, etc. all planning new stadia to be built in the next 5 years.

The season also had its fair share of Cinderellas - most of them failed to meet their prince and missing shoe.

Basque club, Eibar and Northern Rhine club, Paderborn played their first seasons in the top flight and started brightly, only to fade away as fatigue and inexperience took their toll and both were sent back to the 2nd division.

On the other hand, last season's cinderellas, Italy's Sassuolo strengthened as they punched well above their weight and small base to easily secure their status in Serie A and continue to upset the likes of Milan.

However, the Cinderella story of the year in Europe was the rise of the Buffaloes of KAA Ghent to become Belgian champions for the first time in 115 years. Belgian football had always been about big stars playing in the big leagues and the domestic league had been dominated by the likes of Anderlecht from Brussels, Standard Liege from Liege and Club Brugge from Bruges, with pretty little Ghent in the background.

With every revival and Cinderella story, there were stories of decline - some tragic, some dramatic.

Parma's decline from respectable European contenders in Italy to relegation fodder was galling as the club from Emilia-Romagna lurched from financial crisis to another, only just paying its players thanks to donations from other clubs. The future of the former UEFA Cup winners is bleak with questions remaining about their financial viability. They could face a demotion not dissimilar to Fiorentina's at the start of the century.

In Germany, two former champions nearly lurched into disaster that is relegation from the Bundesliga. Stuttgart's late season revival which resulted in survival was remarkable in itself, having spent much of the season at the foot of the Bundesliga, while Hamburger SV once again disappointed and have to play Karlsruher SC to maintain their proud record of never having been relegated from the top flight.

The best players outside the Premier League and the likes of Barca, Real Madrid, PSG, Juventus and Bayern continued to press their cases for future stardom. Lyon's Nabil Fekir is subject to bids from Arsenal while Bayer Leverkusen's Korean star, Son is wanted by Liverpool who are still reeling after letting former target, Memphis Depay head to Manchester United.

Finally, it's time to say adieu, auf wiedersehen and adios. On the same day, Xavi said goodbye to the Camp Nou, Jurgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund's fine and rugged trainer said goodbye after a tremendous last 7 seasons with the yellow and black giants, to pursue a future of being linked with the likes of Man City, Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Klopp is an absolute genius bringing out the best in youth, epitomising the recent German football revolution. He made Dortmund champions in two seasons and got them to a Champions League final where they only just lost to their rivals, Bayern Munich. He won't be out of a job soon.

So, Europe's football pitches take a break over the summer and the footballers take a well-deserved month break - for those who played in last year's World Cup and went straight back to pre-season training in July, it couldn't come soon enough.

The question remains, will anyone break the juggernaut of Bayern Munich, PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona? Even if they can't, at least they're still thrilling to watch.

Adios et Mucho Mucho Gracias Xavi!

Spain's La Liga came to a dramatic close on Saturday afternoon as 4 sides came into the final round with their future in the top flight still in the balance. Granada, Eibar, Almeria and former champions, Deportivo la Coruna were all in danger of relegation going into round 38, with only 2 spots left in the top flight.

In the end, Almeria and brave Eibar, who had only been promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history the season before would be the ones relegated as Granada and Deportivo secured draws against top dogs Atletico Madrid and champions Barcelona on the final day.

Indeed, Deportivo's draw with Barcelona at the Camp Nou was the most dramatic as they came from 2-0 down with 25 minutes to go to snatch a 2-2 draw - and send Eibar who were beating already relegated Cordoba 3-0 at the time back into the 2nd division after only one season.

It was a reminder that there is more to football than some overpaid league in England - how many Spanish clubs are in European cup finals this season? How about English clubs?

While the Gallician club's heroics were eye-catching, the main focus at the Camp Nou was saying farewell to long-time stalwart, Xavi.

The footballing career of Xavier "Xavi" Hernandez Creus is nowadays a rare one - a player who came through the ranks of his boyhood club and would stay there for all but for a few last years of his career.

Yes, between 1998 and 2015, Barcelona has seen plenty of stars come through the ranks, e.g. Rivaldo, the Dutch boys, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, but Xavi was always the Catalan heart of this superstar team along with his fellow compatriots, Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Victor Valdes.

He was the grand heart of the midfield with a fabulous dribbling and passing game along with tremendous energy even in his later years. Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and Wesley Sneijder might have been more "famous" than Xavi who was very understated and a true team man. But I've always tended to pick Xavi in my World XIs particularly when La Rojas had their smashing run at the Euros and World Cup between 2008 and 2012.

I guess La Rojas' troubled World Cup campaign in Brazil last year coincided with the beginning of Xavi's decline - a sign of how influential and instrumental he was to Spain's most successful run in international football.

Indeed, Xavi's fall from grace continued this season with his game time for Barca limited, whether he was a substitute or starter. However, he still provided plenty of experience and presence in the dressing room and provided the perfect foil for his heir, Ivan Rakitic to bed into life at the Camp Nou.

Xavi does have two big games with Barcelona coming up with silverware at stake; the Copa del Rey Final next week at the Camp Nou - this game was always going to be the farewell game given that the Camp Nou will be considered a neutral ground and that a trophy is at stake - and then the Champions League Final in Berlin the week after.

Nevertheless, if there is one player who deserves an elongated farewell, Xavier "Xavi" Hernandez will be that player. Outside of Catalonia, Xavi's achievements and exploits will be better remembered in retirement and in football's new pastures of Qatar.

But for me, Xavi was the model footballer and in this day of age of prima donnas and overpaid actors, Xavi was a good reminder of what we love about the game.

An Ode to 3 Great Midfielders

The midfield. In any form of football, the midfielder is the most important position on the field, being the core of the backline in rugby, or the playmaker in a football XI. Midfielders are the symbolic leaders of the team and often end up being official captains of their sides.

It's why Steven Gerrard was always a no-brainer for captain at his hometown and boyhood club, Liverpool - and why he should have been England captain right from the start, for some. 

Enough has been made of Stevie G's abilities in the middle of the park - bombing up front, running back to defend. His strengths have been the difference for Liverpool so many times along with his errors like we saw at the end of last season when he slipped to let through that goal against Chelsea that would cause Liverpool the title. 

In his late 30s, Stevie G is definitely not the player he was 5 years before, but was still one of the better Liverpool players during a season which saw the side lose its dynamic goal scoring duo from the season before. 

Jordan Henderson will have big boots to fill next season and even if he does continue his progress, it will be difficult to replace a player as dynamic and influential as Stevie G. 

The football world has not seen the last of Stevie G with the MLS now set to see for their eyes the player once hailed by Zinedine Zidane as the best midfielder in the world, but after a 20 year career at one club, an era has definitely come to a close.

The same could be said about another midfield duo, very familiar with New Zealand rugby fans. With long time Wellington, Hurricanes and All Blacks duo, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith set to head overseas after the World Cup, this does feel like the beginning of the end of an era.

The Hurricanes v Chiefs game on Saturday night is at this moment, the last time Nonu and Smith will run out together in Wellington - the All Blacks play no tests in Wellington this season although if the Hurricanes continue this run, Nonu and Smith could have one or two more chances to run out when the Hurricanes as expected play their finals games in Wellington.

It would be the 50th time Nonu and Smith run out together as Hurricanes centres - it could have been more had Nonu stayed around rather than begin a nomadic existence for 3 seasons before returning at the start of this season. 

Nonu and Smith have been just as prolific together for the All Blacks and are surely now the greatest midfield partnership in our history. 

No partnership has been interwoven so effectively that it is virtually second nature. The chemistry in defence and attack between the two developed in 2003 when Nonu and Smith were Wellington teammates and is evident as ever 12 years on. 

Post World Cup, the All Blacks - like Liverpool with Stevie G - will be left with a huge hole to fill in the midfield. Yes, we have plenty of great candidates for the position, i.e. Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, etc. but building a partnership in the midfield as the ABs have found in the past does take time. 

In the meantime, it's time to clink our glasses for 3 of the best midfielders we've ever seen. 

Cheers Gerrard, Nonu and Smith! 

Is Graham Henry the Answer for the Blues?

On Friday night, rugby fans in Melbourne got to witness two franchises that are heading in opposite directions.

The home side, the Melbourne Rebels, appear to finally be justifying their place in Super Rugby in their 5th season and are well in the mix for the Australian conference title thanks to some gutsy wins over the Brumbies and Crusaders away and the Chiefs at home.

The Rebels ditched their initial formula of recruiting stars like Danny Cipriani, Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor who brought nothing but trouble and instability to a franchise trying to establish itself in a saturated Melbourne sports market, reverting to heart, grit and youth, and it has worked.

Under the guidance of unheralded coach, Tony McGahan and with the experience of seasoned professionals, Tamati Ellison, Mike Harris and Scott Higginbotham, the Rebels have blossomed

In Nic Stirzaker, Bryce Hegarty and Jack Debrezceni, the Rebels have the personnel for a young but promising halves combo that could feature nationally in 1-2 seasons time.

The Rebels have been as entertaining as the Hurricanes and Crusaders at home but have shown the ability to play a more compact and tighter game and close down opponents and keep themselves in games.

Against a Blues side down on confidence, the Rebels chose to be expressive, scoring 5 tries and sealing a well earned bonus point.

It just shows you how bad this season has been for John Kirwan's men that the Rebels came into this game as favourites.

Much criticism has been labelled at Sir John Kirwan who in my mind is still a fine coach. However, the Blues organisation is a complicated and apolitical machine that has created an environment for failure, in contrast to the organisation down the Waikato Expressway in Hamilton or across the Desert Road in Wellington.

The Blues could really learn from the Hurricanes organisation which has finally found a winning formula. In John Kirwan, they have a passionate Auckland rugby man. He now needs another man who knows Auckland and Blues rugby in charge at the top.

Could Sir Graham Henry be that man, i.e. could he stomach having an executive role ala Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United?

Henry and Blues success go hand in hand and he knows the formula to get the Blues back on track. Players would also start choosing to stay in Auckland rather than departing for other franchises as we have seen with Fekitoa, Naholo, etc.

At the very least, the Blues could look to their younger opponents on Friday night to see what has gone right to fix what has gone wrong or continue their terminal decline from 2003.  

Can the Cherries Stay in the Premier League?

So the once little club that is AFC Bournemouth have finally hit the big time. After years of being a nursery for football, credited with introducing the likes of Darren Anderton, Tony Pulis, Harry Redknapp to the footballing world, the South Coast club now has the chance to be famous on its own right.

Indeed, thanks to its wealthy owners who bailed the club out 5 years ago and have turned it around with immense investment and faith in staff, Bournemouth have a real chance of staying in the top flight and establishing themselves in a way not dissimilar to Derby County and Nottingham Forest all those years ago.

Here are 3 keys for the Cherries to stay in the Premier League -

Dean Court
Bournemouth's little ground may only currently seat 12,000, but should be one of the noisiest grounds in the Premier League with sellout crowds expected for the season. Most of them will be on the side of the home team and this will definitely be a big boost for Bournemouth; home form helped the likes of Crystal Palace stay up in the Premier League.

There is talk of expanding capacity over the years but that will really depend on how Bournemouth go in the Premier League. If the Cherries can stay for 2 seasons, expect Dean Court to expand quite quickly to 18,000 and possibly even 20,000.

Lots of Goals 
What has made Bournemouth such a favourite for the neutrals over the last couple of seasons is their impetus on attacking, eye-catching football. If you thought Blackpool were thrilling, wait till you see the Cherries.

Matt Ritchie, Callum Wilson, Brett Pitman and Yann Kermorgant had 69 goals between them in the season just completed and while they will find the Premier League a huge step up, they should still be a very productive outlet for the Cherries at some stage of the season. Kermogant has plenty of experience on the continent, Ritchie is a Scottish international and Brett Pitman could have been in the Premier League earlier had Ian Holloway had his way when he was at Blackpool.

Finally, Callum Wilson has been hailed as the next Charlie Austin - a player who has done his time in the lower leagues and proven a goalscorer in whichever league he plays.

Of course, Eddie Howe will strengthen the side in the summer and will take advantage of loan signings from the more established clubs but the side is essentially very good as it is and a very good platform to work of.

Eddie Howe
The Championship manager of the last decade, Eddie Howe's time in the Premier League could have come earlier had he stayed with Burnley. Alas, he went back to his roots and now with his hometown club has his chance to show what a good manager he is in the top flight.

Howe is a more positive and English version of Jose Mourinho - both men have strong philosophies about their football and know how to get results on the field with the squads they have. Both also know the personnel to achieve their goals.

Howe's downfall could be a lack of experience in the top flight - but that in itself could be a blessing in disguise in Bournemouth's debut season as it means Howe can define himself in whatever way he chooses.

Conclusion -
Bournemouth will be fun to watch in the 2015-16 Premier League. Expect them to score lots of goals home and away, and expect them to concede lots of goals as well. If the Cherries fail to stay up, at least they can say they did it in the most pleasing way possible. There might very well be a few giant killing stories next season.

Best of Dan and Richie in Crusaders Colours!

Friday night will mark the end of a glorious era for Crusaders rugby when Dan Carter and Richie McCaw will walk out for the final time in front of a Christchurch crowd as Crusaders players.

With the Crusaders playing their next home game in Nelson and unlikely to host any games in the playoffs, this will certainly be Dan and Richie's Christchurch farewell in red and black.

The fabulous duo have become synonymous with the success of the Crusaders franchise since they made their debuts in 2002 and 2003 and while the likes of Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Israel Dagg have risen to become just as important as Carter and McCaw, a huge void not dissimilar to Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke for the Blues will be left in the wake of their departure.

Indeed, the duo are up there with one of our more successful sporting duos, e.g. the Evers-Swindell twins, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke, etc.

So here's a look back at the best of Dan and Richie in Crusaders colours and a toast to a marvellous 13 years!

 

 

Mistreatment of Guildford & Ryder a National Shame

News has emerged from France that troubled former All Black, Zac Guildford, is set to return home, halfway through his 2 year deal with European Cup finalists, Clermont Auvergne.

Guildford, who played 11 tests for the All Blacks and featured in the victorious 2011 Rugby World Cup side, has struggled since making the move from Christchurch to the middle of France and did not feature in Clermont's defeat to Toulon in the European Cup Final.

It is another blow for Guildford's stuttering rugby career which seems to be heading towards a premature end at this stage; after his repeated disciplinary troubles as a NZ rugby player, the NZRU and Super Rugby franchises are keeping away from him like the plague.

A fair enough move you'd think although I think the media and the public may be accountable for the failure of a bright talent to fulfill itself on the world stage.

Looking back at Guildford's life, there are many lessons that can be learnt on how to man-manage a young man who was clearly troubled and affected by events off the field.

The NZRU ultimately did the right thing to terminate Guildford's career after repeated disciplinary indiscretions in the end, but it really should have never come to this. Acknowledging that Guildford's frame of mind would be delicate after the death of his father, here was one player who clearly should have been wrapped in cotton wool thereafter off the field while his star status on the field grew following his exploits at the 2009 Junior World Cup.

Alas, Guildford was unprotected and unshielded from the pressure that came with his growing star status with the Crusaders and All Blacks and ultimately, could not cope with the lifestyle and distractions that came with become a celebrity in this country.

Yes, there were family circumstances that didn't help but plenty of rugby players in this country have come from broken families and have come out fine.

Indeed, it is ironic that in a country that prides itself in the neighbourly spirit, when it comes to our sports stars, we seem to take the high ground and judge and criticise them when they take a wrong step, therefore, setting them on the high speed train towards a premature end of their career.

The Jesse Ryder example is another case of poor man management at the start and while there can be no excuse for the mistakes made later on in his career which have curtailed what should have been a long career in the Blackcaps, there were clear red flags early on where Ryder should have been placed in cotton-wool with a mentor.

For a shining example of man management from the roots, New Zealand sport should look no further than Steven Adams.

Adams was removed from troubled home circumstances in Rotorua to go to Scots College under a scholarship and placed under legal guardianship by Blossom, a fitness instructor in Wellington, who helped nurture and guide him to become the man that he has become. Without Blossom and his education at Scots College, Adams would have found himself roaming the streets of Rotorua rather than Manhattan and Hollywood.

The sooner we learn how to nurture and protect our brightest and most vulnerable stars rather than chastise them like we have done with Zac Guildford and Jesse Ryder, the better we will be and avoid seeing such talents go to waste.

Money is Ruining the Premier League!

The Premier League has never been in ruder health.

A record 5.14 billion pound deal along with the biggest viewership figures in its history - and the money is set to keep coming in as long as football remains as popular as it is now.

This flood of revenue is very positive for the English clubs who are now head and shoulders ahead of the rest of Europe in terms of wealth and spending power.

Indeed, it has come to the point that the likes of Leicester City and next season's newbies, Watford and Bournemouth are more likely to be able to afford the wages of the best players in the world than Italian giants, Juventus or Dutch champions, PSV Eindhoven.

There is a clear inequality in European football that is firmly tilted towards the Premier League - and is one that Spain's La Liga is desperately trying to balance with the new law ensuring that TV revenue and rights are no longer monopolised by Real Madrid and Barcelona.

So you'd think with all the money and good players set for England, the quality of football would be up there.

I'm not so sure.

Yes, there are still plenty of goals being scored but I question the quality of football played this season compared to say 5 years ago, at a time when English football clubs were dominating the Champions League and ensured a Premier League presence in every Final between 2005 and 2012 bar 2010.

Indeed, the plight of the English clubs not just in the Champions League - and second tier Europa League - this season has been very apparent. You'd think with all the money at their disposal, there would at least be one English club in the semifinals. In fact, no English club made it to the quarterfinals of the Europa and Champions League - all were knocked out in the round of 16 or 32.

Some might say, that it is a sign that the English Premier League has become so competitive, the fight for Champions League football or relegation so much tougher, that it has meant clubs are no longer able to devote any energy to extramural matters like winning Europe, or even the FA Cup.

While the battle for the top 4 spots in the Premier League has undoubtedly never been more competitive and open, I believe that the quality of teams fighting for those spots is not as good as it was.

Ironically, it is money that is possibly costing the likes of Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham the best players in the world - Ronaldo, Suarez and Bale have all been bought in record deals by Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

At the other end, the battle to stay up is just as fierce - but the quality of football is also a bit questionable.

Nevertheless, it is the competitive nature of the Premier League that is making it the most entertaining and most watched league in the world. Moreover, the fight to be in the Premier League has had a positive effect on the Football League with the Championship receiving more attention and investment than it ever has had.

Indeed, a clear positive from this massive influx of cash is the rise of genuine minnows like Bournemouth, Blackpool, Blackburn, Hull City, Burnley and Wigan in recent years - Brentford could be on that list too if they can overcome Middlesbrough and Norwich or Ipswich in their playoffs. Bournemouth's promotion to the Premier League should be sufficient to guarantee their future now as long as they stay on budget - a remarkable turnaround after being almost liquidated 5 seasons ago.

However, I think the issue of quality needs to be addressed - and I'm sure it will in the years to come. Such is the cycle of football that the balance of football will return to England.

The Crusaders Dynasty Will Live On!

Much has been made about who won't be at the Crusaders next year in recent times.

It is easy to jump on the critics' bandwagon particularly when the criticism is leveled at a team that has been top dog in New Zealand for so long. Indeed, unless you're from the area north of the Waitaki and south of the Cook Strait, you're probably relishing seeing the Crusaders stumble behind the likes of the Hurricanes, Chiefs and Highlanders.

Yes, the names that won't be associated with the Crusaders next season, i.e. Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Colin Slade amongst the players, and Aaron Mauger, Leon Macdonald and possibly Tabai Matson as coaches are pretty significant.

But to be fair, there is a sense of deja vu with all this.

One thing's for certain, don't expect the Crusaders to enter the terminal decline that blighted the Blues after the retirements of Sean Fitzpatrick, Zinzan & Robin Brooke, etc. and which the Blues are yet to recover from despite one title since that purple patch in the late 1990s.

In fact, the Crusaders have experience in rebuilding sides and even if they don't make the playoffs, have bounced back strongly to be top dogs. The Crusaders bounced back from 10th in 2001 to be champion in 2002, and significant rebuilding years in 2009 and 2010 almost resulted in a championship in 2011 but for the February earthquake.

If anything, the plight of the Crusaders this season definitely proves that there does need to be a clearing of the guard in the player stocks and that the team needs to move on from Dan Carter and Richie McCaw for the first time since 2003.

Without McCaw, the Crusaders should still have one of the better packs in world rugby and a rising star in Matt Todd.

It will be the backline that will be the concern though without Carter, Taylor, Slade and Bleyendaal. The Crusaders could very well recruit from outside the region - even overseas - or face depending on the inexperienced Richie Mo'unga.

The backline has been a bit of a problem for the Crusaders this season but I think that is down to the coaches who seem to insist on a rather dull style of footie.

Mind you, in a season where they could be without a decent pivot, the Crusaders may have to revert to dull, English style forwards driven rugby to be competitive.

Nevertheless, they will be competitive and talk of a terminal decline is premature.


 

Could Carl Hayman Have Been One of Our Greatest All Blacks?

The career of one of the best props ever to play the game came to a glorious end on Saturday afternoon, when Carl Hayman captained Toulon to a treble of European Cup successes at Twickenham.

Carl Hayman will now retire to enjoy the rest of his life - whether it's on a Taranaki farm or a French vineyard remains to be seen.

I guess it's quite apt for a man who wouldn't be first choice by any womens' magazine.

Indeed, such is the mysterious allure of the former Highlanders and Otago hardman, that his career will always be full of intrigue and plenty of what-if questions.

Like had he stayed behind after that ill-fated 2007 World Cup, won the 2011 World Cup with the All Blacks then head overseas with Toulon, would he be as well-off as he is now?

There is no doubt in my mind that the move to Newcastle all those years ago was definitely financially motivated - why give up the chance to become one of our greatest ever All Blacks - and I have no doubt if Carl Hayman stayed in New Zealand, he would have become our greatest ever prop subjectively and objectively.

An insider has said that Hayman's departure in 2007 was fuelled by a sense of disillusionment with the New Zealand media's obsession with the World Cup and pressure on the All Blacks - the same reason the likes of Jerry Collins, Nick Evans, Luke McAlister, Chris Masoe etc. all headed overseas to become rugby's many mercenaries.

Frankly, I don't think Hayman's rugby talent deserved much more than his CV will finish off with. Up against Owen Franks, I believe Hayman would have stood head and shoulders, and would have been on the pitch against the French in the Final at Eden Park in 2011. In the same way, I think Franks would have benefited learning from one of our best ever scrummagers.

So, while Hayman's career will finish with many All Blacks caps, and three European cup titles and French league titles, I think his career should have had many more honours, including a certain William Webb Ellis.

But at the end of the day, Big Carl did what he thought was best for himself and his family and will still end up a winner.

Cheers Big Carl and enjoy the farm out in Opunake - or Aix-en-Provence.

All Blacks Watch 4 Months Out From Rugby World Cup!

Will we see this again at Twickenham later this year? (courtesy of ODT)

There are only 6 rounds remaining in Super Rugby and with no international break this season (yay!), it is pretty much a sprint to the finish from here till the Final in July.

The form of key All Blacks in this Rugby World Cup year has definitely been followed with great interest and it has to be said that you'd only rate the current form of the incumbent All Blacks, at most 6 out of 10.

It has definitely been a mixed bag - while the likes of the Hurricanes ABs like Nonu, Savea, Perenara, and Barrett has been very good, on the other hand, the form of the Blues and Crusaders ABs has been a bit below par.

Mind you, when has Super Rugby form ever been indicative of things to come later in the year?

Moreover, some NZ rugby fans would be happy that the ABs aren't hitting form now, and are saving it for October this year.

Even so, the fact is that even without the ABs being in top gear - and indeed available for selection at times, the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises are still very much at the top of the class in Super Rugby this season.

The Hurricanes and Chiefs are well ahead of the third placed Brumbies, and it is only because the Chiefs are not leading their conference that they would be considered off the podium. The Highlanders are also not far behind and even the currently lowly Crusaders would be backed to make it into the playoffs - although winning the NZ conference is probably out of the question now.

In a nutshell -

1. The hooker position remains an area of concern although it would somewhat be alleviated by Dane Coles' return from injury. James Parsons has done alright for the Blues and Keven Mealamu is Keven Mealamu but this would be considered a weak area if Keven and Dane go down injured. Liam Coltman has done ok for the Highlanders but he would be the biggest ever bolter since Brendon Leonard if he was picked for the ABs this year.

2. Sam Cane v Richie McCaw is the new Marty Holah v Richie McCaw. At this stage, Cane appears to have the edge in form over McCaw although the ABs captain will surely be first choice starter when the ABs kick off their campaign at Wembley Stadium against Argentina.

3. The halfback contest is absolutely hot. Aaron Smith should have it over TJ Perenara but only just - the Titahi Bay halfback has been electric for the Canes while Smith started slowly this season and has seen himself replaced by the equally mobile Fumiaki Tanaka - not a bad thing in the eyes of the ABs given Smith is undoubtedly the first choice halfback.

4. First five is another area of interest - Cruden's cruel injury shouldn't have too much effect with Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade still available - surely 2007 and 2011 won't repeat themselves when our first five stocks were tested? Even so, Lima Sopoaga and overseas-bound Tom Taylor could yet feature in the equation.

5. Ben Smith probably has got the fullback position nailed - his form has continued to soar in Super Rugby and he is one of those players who seems ridiculously consistently good and he will profit from Israel Dagg's absence.