OPINION: I'm so excited, you see I just can't hide it! A Rugby World Cup is about to begin!
Yet, despite some key injuries and only 12 days after their biggest shellacking in history, it's all honky dory in the All Black camp and an under-strength French at Stade de France should be meat and drink for Fozzies men in black.
Well, that's if you listen to woke mainstream NZ sports media.
After hearing all the pulling power of the All Blacks 'never being more evident' than during their time at Adidas Headquarters in Germany. I've pretty much switched off.
We should have been putting the heat on our national team. They are well-remunerated individuals. not All Blacks of yesterday on about the equivalent of $40 a day.
They are the best players we have, wear the jersey with pride and deserve our honesty. And let's grow up and give praise where praise is due.
After losing at Mt Smart there was never any question the Boks were the side that had the most upside. And boy, did they prove that. Let's stop talking about interfering TMOs - they affected both teams. Let's cut out the chat about the Boks slowing the game down. That's what you can do when you're physically bigger stronger faster. Would we do it? Of course we would.
As for dropped passes and poor decision-making? That comes from pressure. Pressure the Boks applied like a mafia boss tightening a vice on certain parts of one's anatomy.
Winning a World Cup is winning 3 hard games in a row. 240 minutes to glory. And if the All Blacks are at full strength, get the bounce of the ball, referee calls in their favour. and keep their discipline intact. then anything is possible.
And the best possible way to start is with a Yellowstone-like branding on the forehead of the host nation France.
Meanwhile, to the sycophantic NZ rugby media, keep it real.
Living in Cuckoo land helps nobody.
