KEY POINTS:
Tana Umaga, Chris Masoe and the handbag
The Hurricanes opted to celebrate their first Super 14 final appearance and Umaga's 33rd birthday with a massive night on the sauce. At 6am in the Jolly Poacher bar in Christchurch on Sunday, May 28, it all went wrong.
Masoe
was accidentally tripped and responded by throwing a punch. Umaga dragged his team-mate away, reached for the nearest thing he could find - a handbag belonging to Nicole Davies - and whacked Masoe with it.
Masoe blubbed and the handbag became internationally famous, eventually being sold on Trade Me for a staggering $22,750.
NZRU's stoush with News Ltd
What was it all about? The NZRU decided to take 22 All Blacks out of seven rounds of next year's Super 14 and didn't consult the one organisation that really mattered.
Sponsors, franchises and SkyTV were all briefed but not News, the company that actually owns the Super 14 broadcast rights and pays the big bucks to the NZRU.
In the end, the two sides agreed to disagree.
And, if ratings are down next year the rugby union will be financially punished.
Argentina beat England at Twickenham
The Pumas have been threatening a major breakthrough for the last 10 years. They have always been a nuisance to even the best when playing in Argentina but have never managed to emulate that success away from home. That all changed when they beat England at Twickenham on November 11, 25-18.
A couple of weeks later and they were only one point away from a famous win in Paris. They were performances that said the Pumas must now be given a place in either the Six Nations or Tri Nations.
The changing room haka
It had to be one of the saddest sights watching the All Blacks perform the haka within the bowels of Millennium Stadium.
The rugby public love it and want to see it. It's entertainment - part of the intrigue of watching the All Blacks and something that makes rugby a little different.
It just doesn't need to be a big deal. Sing the anthems, let the All Blacks do their thing and everyone goes home happy.
If the Welsh were smart they would realise the haka is more of a hindrance to the All Blacks than it is a help. The players get fired up, lose a bit of focus and start the game too emotional.
Thursday night rugby
Overload or what? Every competition began an expanded format in 2006 - Super 14, Tri Nations and provincial championship. That saw the introduction of Friday night double-headers, Sunday double-headers and then Thursday night games.
It was too much. Flooding the market doesn't always work - a point surely conceded by the NZRU last month when they announced the provincial championship will revert to a traditional round-robin format next season.
Things we'd like to see in 2007
1. Scotland win the World Cup.
2. Resource consent and necessary funding secured to complete the $385 million revamp of Eden Park.
3. Wingers to be re-instated as the men to throw in at the lineout.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
