Brad Shields of the Hurricanes during the Super Rugby match, Crusaders V Hurricanes. Photo / www.photosport.nz
Super Rugby is such an exciting competition that I've got a hard and fast rule - it is more than okay to watch only one game per weekend.
Sometimes, it might get up to two. But at my age, there's only so much the heart can take.
This week, encouraged by the international tug of war for Brad Shields' services, I tuned into the Hurricanes v Sunwolves game.
With England scouring their own rule book for sub-clauses to instantly pick the Hurricanes loose forward for a tour to South Africa, it was a game with an added dimension.
Conclusion: England and New Zealand have been conducting a phoney war.
Brad Shields was Bad Shields.
Did I get him on a sub-par night? Perhaps, but Shields was so sub that there were Wolffish floating by.
When Shields first appeared for Wellington, he looked like one heck of a prospect. But over the years the big man never really kicked on in terms of standing out as a test-quality hard nut.
We've been spoilt. Jerome Kaino is as good as it has ever been in terms of a blindside flanker.
When Jerome Kaino tackled someone, the TV would shake. He is a contender for the most influential World Cup winning forward in history, a man pivotal to the 2011 and 2015 successes. A couple of his rampaging runs remain as highlights of the last tournament.
His replacement Liam Squire can be a wrecking ball. Squire wants to have a major physical impact, even if there will probably never be another Kaino.
The Brad Shields I saw against the Sunwolves, a very average team to put it nicely, was lame. The Sunwolves actually dominated the forwards for long periods, and Hurricanes captain Shields did nothing about it on his home patch leaving the rescue act to the backs.
It is kind of embarrassing for England the way they are pursuing Shields with such haste. They have every right to do so, because Shields is eligible and that's the way of international rugby these days.
But England are the biggest, richest union on the planet. They reportedly poured squillions into their game after hosting the last World Cup, but must have kept a bit of loose change aside to conduct hereditary and passport checks around the world.
If it was someone like Beauden Barrett or Rieko Ioane being rushed in, well maybe. But Shields? Really?
England rugby should produce great forwards the way British Leyland produced crap cars in the 1970. England should have Brad Shields types falling out of their Range Rovers.
England coach Eddie Jones is an obsessive character and would have done his homework and then some. All I can presume is that Shields had a very off night and if so, I apologise for unfairly impugning his good name.
But Shields only showed up in the last eight minutes of the Sunwolves game after long tall fullback Jordie Barrett inspired the late avalanche. Until then, Shields parked himself near rucks and mauls, made only grasping tackles, missed tackles, never ran with the ball. He did nothing in the lineouts, and was easily shoved out of the way when he tried to grab a kickoff.
By the end of the game, I could only presume that the All Blacks allegedly showed an interest in Shields last year because England did. Any blocking moves are just further instances of New Zealand Rugby having a bit of fun.
He was overshadowed by his fellow loose forwards Ardie Savea and Reed Prinsep. A couple of the Sunwolves loose forwards showed more intent.
Maybe Brad Shields is.-
1) Injured
2) Tired
3) Distracted
4) Guided by an amazing manager/publicist
5) A myth
The great players shrug off injury, tiredness. They don't let their minds wander.
Put it this way: Kaino wouldn't have had a clue how to play as badly as Shields did against the Sunwolves. England are more than welcome to that Brad Shields.