Steve Hansen stuck up for his mate Ian Foster during an extraordinary attack on New Zealand Rugby last week. Photo / Getty
Steve Hansen stuck up for his mate Ian Foster during an extraordinary attack on New Zealand Rugby last week. Photo / Getty
OPINION:
LOSER: Rugby and Steve Hansen
What a load of nonsense.
Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen reckoned the relationship between the top brass and players is the "worst it's ever been".
Hansen is clearly no student of history - players have often been at loggerheads with thehead honchos, particularly during the allegedly amateur era when they were prevented from openly earning a living out of the game.
In those days, the conflict involving a player such as the late great Andy Haden was direct. Nowadays, the players can sit back while they are represented by a union. (I doubt the current players even know there are any fissures.)
Okay, so Hansen took significant aim at the current administration, which deserves a serve, but it was also a disingenuous attack.
The biggest problem for rugby is its relationship with the public right now, and the appointment of Ian Foster as All Blacks coach solidified many peoples' belief that rugby is being run for the benefit of an old boys' network.
Hansen's controversial interview last week came across (to me anyway) as the gruff former boss spotting an opportunity to run interference for Foster, his old assistant who is under the pump right now.
It sounded like a member of the old inner circle sticking up for a mate, again, which is actually a problem with rugby in this country.
Rugby needs dynamic new voices and influences within, not the same old people holding centre stage looking after each other.
WINNER: Lewis Clareburt
Lewis Clareburt reacts after winning gold in the men's 200m butterfly. Photo / Photosport
For a long while, freestyle ace Lauren Boyle shouldered New Zealand's major swimming aspirations. Her retirement left a big hole.
But a star has been born in Birmingham, where Lewis Clareburt is a double gold medal winner.
He wasn't exactly an unknown before Birmingham, after making two Olympic finals and finishing fourth in the world championships.
But his medal haul at the Commonwealth Games is still a surprise, one that should cement his place as a star in the public's mind and also whet the Olympic appetite.
The 23-year-old was expected to chase a 400 individual medley medal. But he was hardly mentioned when it came to predictions for the 200m butterfly, where he prevailed over the South African legend Chad le Clos in a brilliant final.
The Commonwealth Games are an anachronism with ugly imperial tones.
Conversely, there is a nice festival feel to them, and they promote much-needed diversity in our sports diet. And Clareburt is a fresh new face to celebrate.
WINNER/LOSER: Women's football…here
On one hand, it has been a watershed month for women's sport and football, with the European Championship drawing massive attention around the world.
This included a crowd of more than 87,000 watching England beat Germany in the final at Wembley.
On the other hand, it was a massive disappointment to find there was no live coverage of the Euros in New Zealand, and even more so when you consider we are co-hosting the World Cup next year.
So what's the score Sky?
Chloe Kelly celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal for England. Photo / Getty
WINNER: Remember Rebecca Smith
The former New Zealand football captain - who was raised in California - has been a key pundit during the European championships.
We may not have been able to see the matches, but it was great to see a Kiwi centre stage on CNN.
But Smith, who retired in 2013, sounded a warning for women's football after England's victory.
Smith said outside some of the strongholds, many federations needed to raise their women's game.
"Around the rest of the world, they have a long way to go [in providing] access and opportunity."
She predicted next year's World Cup would be an "incredible" tournament.
Anyone who saw the recent OFC Nations Cup recently knows that the gap between the best and the rest is absolutely gigantic.
WINNER: All the other sports
Only rugby could design a schedule in which there are no major games on consecutive weekends mid-season.
WINNER: Rugby
All the controversy surrounding Ian Foster etc. has set the stage for epic encounters against the Springboks. So-called bad news is often good news when it comes to sport.
LOSER: League
How on earth did giant Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona get away with driving an arm to the head of Warriors hooker Wayde Egan in the latest NRL round?
Egan was lying on the ground as the tackle was completed - but contact to the head should count no matter the circumstance.
League immortal Andrew Johns thought it was a potential sending-off offence, with a long suspension due.
At the very least, the game must be seen to investigate an incident like that, but the match review committee let it pass. Crazy.
