As we say goodbye to 2020 and welcome in 2021, it's a good time to catch up on the very best of the Herald columnists we enjoyed reading over the last 12 months. From politics to sport, from business to entertainment and lifestyle, these are the voices and views ouraudience loved the most. Today it's the top three from Liam Napier.
A Herald journalist is in quarantine. Here's what it's really like
Full protective jumpsuits. Eerie airports. Stranded Kiwis. Quarantine.
Travelling never felt so surreal.
In April Herald sports journalist Liam Napier arrived back in New Zealand after two years in the United Kingdom.
Flying amid a global pandemic was never going to be normal - and arriving at Heathrow, this was immediately evident, he wrote.
Travellers were decked out in full-body hazmat jumpsuits; goggles, face masks, gloves, in a scene that feels more akin to an operating room than London's busiest airport.
Security officers supervise hotel guests' exercise routines. Photo / Michael Craig
How season from hell exposed Warren Gatland's flaws
Warren Gatland is a man accustomed to the harsh northern winters but a return home to the ol' misty that is Hamilton has left his pride, and coaching credentials, frostbitten.
Words and body language carried contrasting messages as the former Waikato hooker attempted to explain the Chiefs' horror record losing run back in August.
The sound of flushing toilets as a dejected Gatland sat in a post-match press conference seemed an apt metaphor for the winless run that has transpired.
The worry for Gatland, as he reflects on his first turbulent Super Rugby campaign, is his coaching style may need a major alteration.
Warren Gatland watched his Chiefs play the Hurricanes. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The All Blacks' most alarming admission after loss
One of the most alarming admissions from the All Blacks following their first defeat to the Pumas is they didn't match the Argentines' passion.
Confirmation from All Blacks captain Sam Cane was not needed post-match – it was evident throughout the 25-15 defeat that the Pumas wanted their maiden victory more, yet the statement still turned heads, particularly for former All Blacks among the commentary team.
Whenever the ball hit the deck, the Pumas scrambled for it first. Whenever there was contestable ball at the breakdown, invariably the Pumas had more numbers and hunger to win it. Over the course of 80 minutes, these attitude elements add up.
