Mark Lynch does love his rugby. I remember once when Lynch and I and a few stragglers went to see the Waratahs play the Stormers in Sydney. He had his own small block of permanent seats. So when the RWC has come bouncing along to New Zealand, it's not surprising that Lynchie surfaces with a book of cartoons and anecdotes of the game they play in heaven.

Rugby Shorts is 125 pages of loony, goofy gags that hit the wacky button every time. Complete with quotes from McCaw to Mexted, it's one of those timeless coffee table books you pick up when the mind has gone to mush and needs a wake-up call.

For example, you can't go past the broken-nosed beefcake sitting mid-chest on a near-unconscious prostrate opponent laying mid-field, while applying the biff to his chin: "You're in luck. I'm the doctor who'll be patching you up after the match."

Okay, it's not for everyone, just those who like their rugger, which at last count, was four million Kiwis. A postscript - once you've had your laughs and the books are balanced on sales, Lynch quietly donates any profit to charity.

The world needs more people like this.

Now if I only knew where Inter-national Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset was staying, I'd slip these three books under his door - a little grab-bag to lighten up those days when you're house-bound by Auckland weather.

Rod Emmerson is the editorial cartoonist for the Herald.

- NZ Herald