KEY POINTS:
Upon arriving at Eden Park last night, the first sighting was cricket nets, and a boundary line on a pristine oval neatly marked out ahead of tomorrow's Twenty20 final.
But as this is the start of February it can only mean one thing. Summer's here and the time
is right for ... rugby.
Don't fancy it? Don't blame you, but this is World Cup year so best get used to it.
"No All Blacks tonight, eh?" said one bloke as he trudged round the back of the south stand.
A few players on view for the Super 14 opener might dispute that but you got his drift. We were among the 26,000 who rocked up for the 14th contest between New Zealand's only Super rugby title winners to get this marathon footy year under way.
Funny thing favouritism. There were the Crusaders, defending champions and seeking a seventh title, missing a gob-smacking 15 tackles to one by the Blues in the first half. They're also missing seven stellar performers on reconditioning duty.
At the break they trailed 19-13, but that's another thing about sport's best athletes. When they aren't at the top of their game they invariably find a way to hang in there, which they did, so hats off to the Blues who managed to stay just that far in front to deny the Crusaders even a bonus point.
Two things stood out in the first half: the Crusaders' numbers are unreadable from anything beyond 20 metres, and those suggesting the Blues coaches had, er, blued by opting for Isa Nacewa at first five-eighth were on humble pie rations.
The mop-haired Nacewa drilled four from four - he finished the night with six from eight - and pulled off a try-saving tackle on Scott Hamilton as the rosy-cheeked winger was bounding away with a clear run to the Blues' line.
Oh yes, Sam Tuitupou produced one of his torpedo jobs on the luckless Hamilton - although he was on the receiving end of a Mose Tuiali'i bang of similar velocity later - and new captain Troy Flavell showed superb athleticism to slip a pass to Isaia Toeava for the opening Blues try.
Flavell repeated that in the lead-up to Rudi Wulf's try early in the second spell, before seeing yellow as referee Paul Honiss spotted some footwork he deemed dodgy at a ruck.
Amid some resolute Blues defensive commitment, a pair of gifted young backs stole the spotlight.
Luke McAlister, with his first touch after replacing Tuitupou, slipped the Crusaders defence with a surge of pace to set up Doug Howlett's try. Then Crusader Stephen Brett's superb chip, regather and finely-weighted pass put Rico Gear over.
It wasn't brilliant, but it's a start and a win. For Flavell and his mates, for now that'll do just fine.
