Another thought that sprung to mind of course was this: had Auckland run out of 1967 Fiat Bambinas? Moving forward ... a people mover would be more appropriate for the Blues' bumblers at the moment but let's stick with the Bambina and hope for better times.
The bubble car approach shows how every franchise has its own way of doing things. When the Crusaders visited the lower half of the North Island, they returned with the entire Whitelock family. How boring.
"It's a hard car to drive so it just brings a bit of humour," coach Kirwan said, which reflects the way a lot of us have chosen to look at the Blues.
Next stop Sydney, where Bouncing Benji was grumpy with his league club and up for the enormous challenge of becoming an instant All Black, choosing a hugely grateful Auckland as his stepping stone.
It hasn't worked out, already, but not to worry. Murray Bolton, who thinks he owns some of the Blues even though a lot of us suspect that he doesn't have a lot of say with the NZRU hanging about, is still upbeat.
Bolton views his investment in the franchise as a "20-year project". Twenty years is serious wiggle room. We all know what he means — I'm just saying that — but a little urgency wouldn't go amiss right now. Maybe the Blues feel it is impolite to build a kick-arse rugby team before Christchurch has rebuilt its city.
To sum up: Benji sounds happy, Benji's lovely wife sounds happy, Murray Bolton sounds happy enough. The Bambina is registered at long last. Things are tracking nicely for 2034.
Kremlin still in control
Now there's a surprise. The New Zealand Rugby Union gagged the Blues over the Benji Marshall affair. The control freaks in the rugby Kremlin are all take, no give. Their attitude towards the media and public is a disgrace, but rugby's virtual monopoly in New Zealand sport means they get away with it. These rugby dictators happily take millions of taxpayer dollars to prop up their game via a World Cup tournament, and in return we get treated like fools. What rugby needs in this country is competition.
The media was briefed by the Blues not to ask any Benji questions yesterday, and coach John Kirwan stated the Blues were told not to make any comments.
Fortunately, one member of the media broke the ban, and even more fortunately, Blues halfback Piri Weepu chose to answer. Weepu is emerging as a ray of hope — he has also pointed the finger at teammates who lack the necessary desire to turn the Blues into winners.
By world standards, what Weepu has said does not add up to all that much. But in the claustrophobic rugby atmosphere in this country, it's borderline revolutionary. Rugby has got away with its "no comment" ways for decades. It's a method of protecting administrators' reputations rather than enhancing the game. The result is a lack of vitality in rugby.
Instead of proper interrogation, we get an avalanche of gushy press releases. This one included Marshall claiming he had "become a better person" at the Blues. What arrant, irrelevant tripe.
Attitude change needed
Sonny Bill Williams is reported to be boycotting the Kiwis' Anzac rugby league clash against Australia in protest at his name being leaked or linked to a pills and energy drinks World Cup controversy.
Kiwis coach Steve Kearney says he wasn't going to pick the rugby-bound SBW anyway, because he is building for the future.
My verdict: SBW has never shown a consistent interest in playing for the Kiwis. He doesn't need the excuse.
As for Kearney, the Kiwis aren't good enough to use any test against Australia as a building block.
It's Kearney's job to do everything within his powers to win every time. The New Zealand Rugby League should remind him of that in no uncertain terms, and sack him if he won't adhere to a win-at-all-costs attitude.
