Scott Kara: Substance wins over style

Well, Murray, commentator Murray Mexted that is, forgot to turn his mic on for a start. Someone had to do it for him and he stood there like a muppet while they did it.

That was in the pre-match shenanigans and, thankfully, Mr "69, it's got a nice ring to it" didn't bumble his way through the actual game.

The All Blacks' 21-3 win over the Lions was great entertainment.

Before the game, flicking channels to the one-sided Aussie versus Italy test - go Italy - really drives home how great the coverage of rugby can be.

Many among the substantial ranks gathered in this lounge feared that the All Blacks-Lions coverage wouldn't be as up-close and personal as it could be.

But when there is a close-up shot of a guy in fingerless black gloves walking along the sideline catching hail, then that's coverage of a rugby game.

How else are you gonna show how freezing it is in Christchurch tonight? It was one of those games when the weather deserves a mention.

New Zealand has some great, unbiased rugby commentators - take note Aussies.

Be it Tony Johnstone questioning the sanity of shirtless Lions supporters, Ian Smith saying, "He just gave me a wink, Will Greenwood", John Drake deadpanning, "Justin Marshall is getting a dislocated finger put back in", or Mexted with his Mextedisms, it's great stuff.

The All Blacks' fashion sense is always a feature. Dan Carter hasn't changed much since he last wore the All Black strip, but the girls in the room are loving him, hooker Keven Mealamu looks dad-like, and Jerry Collins has a fresh breeze of bleach through his hair.

But the All Blacks' style, that has seemingly been just as important as the playing in recent years, was secondary tonight.

We came here to play. Even winger Dougy Howlett got hard, took the hits and did the hitting. And it's just great watching Richie "I do Judo" McCaw burrow his way into the game.

The fact Lions' captain Brian O'Driscoll was taken off injured just a minute into the game didn't have any bearing on the game.

The TV replay showed some dodgy goings-on in the ruck where he was injured, but what was O'Driscoll still doing there anyway? The ball was well gone.

Perhaps holding Mealamu, who dumped O'Driscoll to cause his injury, from getting to the next phase was the reason he got the treatment.

Great player, sad about the dislocated shoulder.

It is never nice when someone has to be transported from the field on a golf cart, but really, what has he done except run sideways on this tour?

I'll say it again, his early exit had no bearing on the result. It was a great, out-mongrelling experience by the All Blacks and it was about time.

We have lost vital games - point to any decisive game in past World Cups for proof of that - because we have lost the mongrel. That's what our lads needed to have tonight and it was great to see, up close and personal on TV, without having to catch some hail on your tongue.