One Is The Magic Number

Hope the landlord didn't visit during the world cup period.

There's a thin line between love and hate and no one appreciates this more than the New Zealand All Blacks (AB) rugby team.

Big ups to the team for winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup (with a desperate 8-7 win over France last week) to bridge a 24-year gap between victory drinks.

A single point - one, uno, tahi - was all that separated the team, AB skipper, Richie McCaw and Graham Henry, the coach from eternal pain.

While they played with style, class and courage throughout most of the six week tournament, the final was an ugly beauty - not one for repeated viewing. But as in most big, big sporting clashes the final result is all that is remembered.

Brothers from another planet.

It takes two to make a contest and huge praise and props to France for being at the enigmatic best in the competition. I've always been a big France fan because like the ABs at their best, they play with verve, flair, passion and a fair degree of controlled mayhem.

My love has only increased because in the current uber-professional environment where players are over-coached, over-cooked and over-analysed, the French refuse to conform.

They're not shy to express the full range of emotions. Like Auckland's ever changing weather they can be emotional, moody, happy, angry, brooding, insouciant insolent and detached in a short space of time - they are very human and long may they remain like this - in my eyes, consistency is a little overrated in sport (guess that's why I also support West Ham United).

All-in-all, a fantastic tournament and here are my injury time thoughts after six weeks of living, breathing, but not dreaming, rugby.

Props to Tongan supporters for getting the 2011 RWC party started.

Player of the tournament - Israel Dagg - is this Kiwi an Aussie in disguise? He has Ocker confidence, the stepping, swerving skills of David Campese and a booming Roger Gould-like punt. And his semi-final wonder offload deserves to be as widely recognised and praised as Campo's outrageous no-look fling it back pass to Tim Horan in the 1991 semi against the All Blacks.

Young Guns of the tournament - Pre-tournament, not many of us knew much about the Welsh fab four of Warburton, Faleatu, Priestland and Lydiat but they came, played, and nearly conquered - thanks Wales for making the six nations watchable again. Their stirring performance against the Springboks will live long in the memory.

Thanks to the 2011 All Blacks for lifting NZ's happiness index.

Game of the tournament - My favourite live game was the Australia v Ireland pool match. Auckland was like mini-Dublin on the day - complete with grey skies and drizzly rain - and the Irish team and their fans responded big time. Watching up high gave a great view of Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale's deadly "from deep" running skills but the Irish played a smart, simple and brutally effective game to strangle the Aussies. The Irish front row got stuck in and flanker, Sean O'Brien was a revelation to neutral spectators - the passionate "go Seany go" chant from my neighbouring Irish fan will stay long in my memory. And if there was a world cup for supporters, the Irish would win this hands down every time - what a super bunch.

Favourite World Cup memory #1 - No single game, but a couple of road trips with good friends to Hamilton were great fun, had many funny moments and produced a key learning - never go supermarket shopping after a few beers.

Irish fans go crazy - NZ will welcome them with open arms next year.

Favourite World Cup memory #2 - Again, not game related, but I enjoyed a terrific rugby comedy night held on the eve of the cup final. The four rugby comedians - Martin Beyfeld, Eric Rush, Vince Sorrenti and Ian Robertson were all polished, witty and bloody hilarious speakers - an unexpected highlight.

Eden Park Upgrade Request #1 - When the NZRU has more dollars in the bank please build a statue/sculpture of Tony Woodcock's try scoring dive in the final and place it next to the excellent Michael Jones sculpture.

Finally...WTF - How/why was All Black Everything not the official All Black anthem? Thanks and praise to Scribe and P Money for this lyrical and musical gem - probably the best sports anthem ever.

A View From the Cheap Seats

Rugby brings people together one beer at a time.

While it may be the end of the western world as we know it, we're partying like it's 1999 down here in New Zealand (NZ).

As hosts of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZers old, young and in-between are embracing host responsibilities big time.

It's as if we're all putting on a national wedding for 100,000+ international guests and no one wants to be the party-pooper.

I'm doing my part by going to eight matches (six down and two to go) to make up for 14 years of no live rugby - the Hong Kong and Singapore Sevens tournaments don't count as they are just expat piss ups where men and women do things they wouldn't normally do at home.

Based on my rugby travels so far, every game has been terrific for a variety of reasons and here are five of my bonus point (good) and dropped pass (bad) observations so far.

Bonus Points

1. RWC has been a great catalyst for NZ cities to get spruced and gussied up. Auckland now looks like an international city with a beautiful harbour and downtown area -- the city just needs 250,000+ more people and a widespread transport system that works.

Can't get enough of the Samoan team's Siva Tau.

2. RWC volunteers are on good drugs. Maybe not, but the volunteers I've come across are unfeasibly nice, happy, chirpy and doing a great job.

3. Bonhomie aplenty among locals and visiting fans - even the Aussies. Though the Wales v Samoa game was mostly awful, I had a great afternoon talking shit and having a laugh with the three Aussies and an Irish bloke sitting near by. There was no spitting, malice or bad vibes just a lot of laughs and piss taking all round.

4. RWC is showcasing NZ's diversity to the world. Led by the polynesian and Maori communities, it's great to see Maori songs, traditions and themes incorporated in opening ceremonies, welcomes and other events. S'pose Asia will be represented when a player of Asian descent makes the All Blacks - could be a long time though .... probably as long as it takes for a train in Auckland to arrive...

5. Andrew Mehrtens - my favourite comments guy - I enjoy his insightful, sharp, opinionated and funny comments. He has a personalty and knows a lot about European rugby - more Mehrts please.

Dropped Passes

A nation of millions is praying for a world cup win.

1. What's with the shit food sold at the games?? Thought NZ, like many other developed nations, has an obesity problem so why just chips, hotdogs, pies and burgers for sale at games? Sponsor's orders? While I'm not expecting prawn sandwiches, canape and a hot and sour tofu hotpot what about other easy to heat and serve items like BBQ'ed chicken, fried rice, noodles, subs, sandwiches, wraps and burritos.

2. Dumb ass business owners. Two Sundays back, Hamilton was buzzing with thousands of Samoan, Welsh and rugby fans from all parts of the globe wandering about the city before the 3.30pm kickoff. My four travelling buddies and I wandered into the city square at lunchtime - which you'd expect to be a hive of activity - only to find that more than half of the restaurants were closed. Guess business must be booming in the Tron.

3. Eden Park. Yeah, yeah they shoulda built a waterfront stadium and all that -- but they didn't and we've got a stadium that looks like it was designed by five different architects. Still, it produces a great atmosphere for the big games - but the eight minute climb up the scaffolding stairs to the Sandringham Road cheap seats is a challenge for many. It's a long way to the bottom if you want a sausage roll!

4. No vuvuzelas!!! Just joking, but I am missing drums, trumpets, bagpipes, trombones, maracas and other atmosphere adjusting instruments and devices to add more sonic power at the matches.

5. This song - played before every game. I don't like it but I can't get it out of my head. And it hurts me to admit that it does put everyone in a good mood.