Hansen’s magnificent legacy is tainted a touch by the shockingdecline of the All Blacks over the past seven years.
Not only has Erasmus been pivotal to double World Cup success, but he’s mastered the art of regenerating his team, deepening the squad and broadening the range of how the once stoic Springboks play the game.
South Africa finished the year with 11 wins from 13 tests – the defeats being single-point losses to Ireland and Argentina – and is undisputed as the top side on an increasingly interesting leaderboard.
Erasmus is more than just a coach. He’s an overlord, and the best the game has seen since rugby decided officially – in the mid-1990s – that money wasn’t a dirty word.
Captaincy is not the iconic business it used to be. Making a change wouldn’t be the huge step it once was.
Barrett always seemed like a reluctant leader and the job has not exactly enhanced his game.
My understanding of the situation was this: new coach Scott Robertson wanted Sam Whitelock to reverse his retirement decision, so he could be a transitional captain. Robertson didn’t gel with Ardie Savea. Barrett, his old Crusaders comrade, accepted a job he never really wanted.
The All Blacks desperately need Barrett to rediscover his world-class form as a lock.
Codie Taylor, Savea or even Patrick Tuipulotu are better captaincy choices.
WINNER: Max Verstappen ... and Lando Norris
Dutchman Verstappen has claimed his fourth Formula One motor racing title, despite car issues this year. The Red Bull driver is a true F1 great.
Rivals heaped praise on him, including his nearest challenger, the Brit Lando Norris from McLaren.
“When he’s had the quickest car, he dominated races,” Norris said.
“When he’s not had the quickest car, he’s still been just behind us and almost winning the races anyway. He has not had any bad races all year. He has just driven as Max has always driven, which is perfectly and can’t fault him anywhere.”
Class.
WINNER/LOSER: Chris Wood/football
Let’s try to accentuate the positives here.
Wood’s naming as the English Premier League player of the month for October was a staggering achievement by a New Zealander in the world’s top football league. It’s even unusual for a player from a mid-table club to snare the award, decided by public votes and an expert panel.
The tall Nottingham Forest striker traverses a strange world – a few weeks later, he was playing for the All Whites against 10 Samoan defenders in a World Cup qualification game at Mt Smart Stadium, the home of rugby league.
It was an honour to see Wood in the flesh, and he responded with goals that highlighted his knack for scoring he has possessed since a teenager.
But it was a rumpty occasion at Penrose last Monday.
Young fans and supporters take a selfie with New Zealand captain Chris Wood. Photo / Photosport
The ticketing system failed at Mt Smart, meaning electronic passes were replaced by handwritten ones, with the gate staff filling in little squares on a ground map.
The giant screen replay system misbehaved, and the crowd of a few thousand people was jammed into one side of the field.
Samoa, who battled bravely, could barely string three passes together.
This substandard World Cup Oceania qualification bizzo must stop.
WINNER: This local derby
The A-League is an erratic beast, but the vibrant, goal-packed, testy local derby between Sydney FC and Sydney Western Wanderers was a highlight of the weekend.
The once-dominant English Premier League champions are falling apart and were smashed 4-0 at home by Tottenham Hotspur.
Seeking a fifth consecutive title, they have been left rudderless by the long-term injury to defensive midfielder Rodri – the Ballon d’Or winner – and with the great Kevin de Bruyne having to be nursed through the season.
WINNER/LOSER: Rafael Nadal
The Spanish tennis legend was supposed to get a fitting farewell in a home Davis Cup showdown against the Netherlands. But it fell flat when Spain’s defeat apparently led to Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Sir Andy Murray not turning up.
Still, Nadal will always be seen as an amazing and gracious winner, although his particular brand of tennis could be tedious.
The allegations about bullying and the lack of a decent response to them in New Zealand Cycling will not just strike a chord in the sports world.
Many employees feel that similar stuff goes on in their workplaces. A lot of people feel trampled underfoot, and their lives are greatly affected by that.
I also sometimes feel that the Kiwi public believes New Zealand is immune from the brutal aspects of professional sport, that there is something special about us. There is nothing special or particularly different about us.
And the harsh realities also existed in our amateur sporting days.
LOSER: Conor McGregor ... justice?
The MMA superstar’s reputation is in the gutter after he lost a civil case taken by a woman who said he brutally raped her in 2018.
“I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be: speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice,” Nikita Hand said, after her win in a Dublin High Court. She said taking the civil action had been a “nightmare”.
The burden of proof is much lighter in civil cases, which often leaves an unsatisfactory feeling about outcomes.
The Irish legal fraternity is said to be divided on whether McGregor should have faced criminal charges. Some say there was no way that a prosecution could have succeeded, but others believed Hand’s injuries suggested otherwise.
Did McGregor’s fame help protect him from prosecution? That’s a natural question to ask.
WINNER: The Kiwi cricketers
New Zealand’s hard-to-believe series sweep of India, in India, looks even better with the tourists ripping Australia apart in the first test at Perth. So much for home advantage.
Chris Rattue has been a journalist since 1980 and is one of the most respected opinion writers in New Zealand sports journalism.
