Play nzherald.co.nz's rugby Pick the Score competition - go to: pickthescore.nzherald.co.nz
KEY POINTS:
A good week for ...
The BBC chat sites were feverish with transfer speculation as January wound down. Here's the best of the closing hours:
"I am an executive chauffeur in north London and have just driven Andrei Arshavin to the Emirates."
Brian, via text on 81111
"Zinedine Zidane is sensationally coming out of retirement to join Bolton until the end of the season."
rkblogger on 606
"I'm on a flight to Milan and Dean Windass is two places ahead in the queue with his agent."
Anonymous via text on 81111
Who says our women cricketers can't match the boys? While all the fuss has been going on over the Tassie with Glovegate and the Aussie captain Ricky Ponting wanting a rest, the White Ferns have been quietly going about their work showing the boys how to beat the Old Foe, not once but twice in a row. Now the Rose Bowl, held by Aussie since 1999 is within their grasp.
Valerie Vili's Supreme Halberg Award win this week was just reward for someone who went to the Olympics with the pressure of the hopes of a nation and delivered. The scary thing is she is likely to be at the top of her sport for many years to come. Her big mission this year is the World Championships but you can't help but think in the back of her mind, London 2012 looms large.
And on the subject of over-achievers, the rowing twins Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell have to rate a mention. Whether you agree that a rowing pair is a team or not, their feat of defending their Olympic title rated an award. It's just a pity that the Kiwis' World Cup feat came in an Olympic year.
India may have thrashed Sri Lanka in their third one-day international to take an unassailable 3-0 series lead, but the star was offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan who equalled Wasim Akram's world record of 502 ODI wickets.
A bad week for ...
The recently revealed photo of Michael Phelps chuffing on a bong explains a lot. Back in August the world marvelled at Phelps' breakfast: three fried egg sandwiches (with cheese, tomatoes, fried onions and mayo), a five egg omelete, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast and three pancakes with chocolate chips. Total calories: 4000, twice what a man should eat in an entire day. Burp. It wasn't carb-loading after all: Turns out the dude just had the munchies.
SuperShorts rightly observed last week that Rafa Nadal's undies-out-of-arse grab at the end of each point is a bit of a shocker when it comes to impressing the ladies in the crowd. But an Andy Roddick watcher points out that the ATP's resident frat boy is a constant scratcher, itching his sweet spot between serves. Perhaps they should pair up for doubles.
Having bought back Robbie Keane for a fee that could ultimately equal the 19 million Liverpool paid for him in July, Spurs are now just a Martin Jol deal, a Berbatov swop and nine league places away from where they were two years ago. Genius.
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union must have seen it coming but the loss of coach Kevin Schuler to take up an offer from Japanese club Yamaha must be hurting. It comes at a time when the Bay are getting back on their feet after dire financial troubles and were looking to further improve on the field.
Brad Butterworth's Alinghi boys are known to be enjoying their time in Auckland but on the water it's been far from beer and skittles. Losses to new boys Team Origin and outsiders Shosholoza may awaken the sleeping giant when the races that matter begin?
One suspects the NZRU will be looking very closely at any more requests from All Blacks for sabbaticals after Daniel Carter's injury which could put him out of rugby for up to six months.
