Black days are looming. All Black days that is. Five months ago, it was hard to believe that 2011 - Rugby World Cup year - had finally arrived.
This week marked 100 days until kickoff. As New Zealanders, we've learned over many painful years that while we may have the best
team in world rugby - that in no way means we have the goods to lift the cup as a right.
We may well go into this tournament as favourites, but as supporters we will no longer allow our hearts to be crushed by premature defeat at the hands of our greatest rugby rivals.
It's sad but true - while a little piece inside us all will harbour hopes of a host nation victory, another little piece has been hardened by disappointment and cynicism to help deal with the pain of the defeat we've come to expect.
But this time will be different, won't it? Surely the fact we're hosting the Rugby World Cup will give us that little boost we need to go all the way.
We know the mistakes we've made in the past.
Let's avoid the unnecessary switching of backline positions. Let's avoid the avoidance of potentially match-winning drop kicks at the death.
We've had four years to prepare for this moment and we have more to prove than any other team. Now, little more than three months to go, surely we can afford to eye the prize with some sense of entitlement.
