Editorial: Will red be the new black?

Saturday's finale between the world champs and Lions is a mouthwatering end to an already stellar series, writes Mark Story. Photo File

Opinion

Auckland this evening can apparently expect showers with westerlies and a northerly change.

Perhaps the northerly change also indicates the direction of rugby's next powerhouse.

Will the perfect storm that is tonight's All Blacks-Lions match spark a shift from Southern Hemisphere domination?

Naturally it depends on the home hemisphere of the rugby scribes you're reading.

Either way the campaign is already a success. National tours have long been a thing of the past for international rugby teams and this is the closest revisit we've had.

It has undoubtedly reinvigorated all too often banal test schedules and all too predictable outcomes for anyone squaring off with the world champs.

It's also been a resounding success off the field.

Despite hosting zero games this region has been resplendent with a rash of baby boomers in red kit. In Napier they've peppered the city red.

The few I've had the fortune of speaking to directly have been as warm as British ale. (Which is warm, by the way).

To have the series come down to a decider is unadulterated rugby bliss.

The official build up on Sky TV begins at 6.30pm tonight. My build up will begin at whatever time the kids decided to wake me this morning for breakfast.

All jobs and activities in the ensuing hours will be carried out with a view to clearing the decks in time to find the best vantage spot in the lounge: the wood box filled, a quick and easy dinner, something chilling in the fridge, landline off the hook, cellphone charged for banter and the remote wielded like Gandalf's staff in the author's hand.

Those of us who don't have Sky have all bought Lotto tickets in the slim hope that post tonight's 8pm draw we'll use the millions as a down payment on next year's Sky subscription.

Just after 9pm, red may be the new black - although something tells me that won't happen.

But I'm loathe to hedge my bets. A former editor once told me "ambivalence in an editorial is a hanging offence".

In deference to such wisdom I feel pressured to make public my stance. Hence, the All Blacks to triumph by 17 points.