Chris Rattue: Positively negative

Rattue on Wednesday offers some odds on events near and far:

EVEN MONEY

Graham Henry to cop more "negative" media coverage he sees everywhere if the All Blacks don't whip the tame Lions.

God knows what inspired the All Black coach to pipe up with an attack on the media. He was also remarkably short on specifics after declaring that 80 per cent of the coverage was "negative".

While the media doesn't always get it right, Rattue would argue most strongly that the vast majority of the coverage is even-handed.

And rugby here gets a dream ride compared, for example, with the "negative" hits English soccer and its coaches endure.

The infamous early-1990s tabloid headline "Swedes 2, Turnips 1" after a European championship loss to Sweden springs to mind. It was accompanied by a graphic of England manager Graham Taylor's head superimposed on that much-detested vegetable.

It will be "Off with Henry's head" if the ABs lose to these Lions.

At the risk of being positively negative about Sir Clive Woodward's merry men, it's hardly an awe-inspiring squad he announced on Monday night.

No, if the All Blacks don't clean up, the reaction won't be positive.

TWO TO ONE

Tiger Woods to overhaul Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.

Tiger wasn't at his imposing best at Augusta. Had, say, an in-form Ernie Els figured in the final-day scrap, Tiger might still be stuck on eight majors. He needed some luck, especially when his ball bounced off the trees during the final round.

But Tiger came through, and his confidence will be soaring. Surely only injury can stand in the way of this extraordinary sportsman acing the jack.

FIFTEEN TO ONE (and drifting)

The Warriors to make the playoffs. A bookie would never give you those odds, of course, but you've got to release frustration somehow. Despite the Steve Price influence, the rot appears to remain in the woodwork, as the influential coach Jack Gibson once remarked about poor clubs.

TWENTY TO ONE

The Kiwis' chances of beating Australia in the Anzac clash at Brisbane. Actually, it should be more like 50 to one, which might reflect the scoreline. Rattue doesn't want to be unpatriotic, but players are dropping like flies. As for Stacey Jones' continued absence ... Rattue notes the contrast to when Tawera Nikau copped criticism for pulling out of Kiwi teams. Yet Jones seems immune from barbs.

ONE THOUSAND TO ONE

Harbour recruit Jonah Lomu regaining an All Black berth. What else can you say when a bloke signs for a team on the basis of being near his medical team.

Rattue is not misty-eyed about Lomu's return. If he wants to crash about with a donated kidney on board, that's his lookout.

A nearly-30-year-old oversized wing with no decent game time or form for yonks - who's already had significant couch time this year because of a bung ankle he didn't want to tell anyone about - doesn't sound like a good All Black bet to us.