I wasn't sure how I felt about the Crusaders' clash with England tonight. The fans have won me over, with the match set to be a sell-out. Rugby for rugby's sake can be a good thing, even though there is little riding on the game.
There's a strong school of thought that we should see more midweek games against provincial or Super Rugby sides on the inbound tours. I'm not a great fan of turning back the clock and adding to the already cluttered fixtures list. Clearly, neither is Steve Hansen with none of the Crusaders' non-required All Blacks being released.
For all that, I'm feeling a little nostalgic, and decidedly middle-aged.
England versus the Crusaders is kind of a closing of the circle. September 8, 1973, was a special day. My first trip to Lancaster Park to see Canterbury take on the touring England team. The old man had promised to take me to a Ranfurly Shield game, but he convinced me that going to see Canterbury defend the Log o' Wood against Marlborough wouldn't be all that interesting with bigger defences to come later in the season. Dear me. Canterbury didn't get another challenge until the next decade and they didn't get to defend the Shield until 1982.
It was a big day going to the park for the first time. To a weedy little primary school boy, players such as Alex Wyllie, Fergie McCormick, Tane Norton and Lyn Davis were living/breathing demigods.
