48 hours: Early jitters for World Cup viewers and the All Blacks

Tactical errors are only to be expected in the early stages of the World Cup. Take TV viewing, for example.

Having settled on an opening formation of 3-5-2 (three hours' sleep, five hours' World Cup watching, two hours' sleep) for the initial stanza, the plan was thrown into immediate disarray when the opening ceremony did not turn up at the appointed time. Well, not that I could find anyway.

Was this another case of early morning confusion, or was it another case of SkyWatch confusion?

Sky's remarkable publication always makes an encouragingly punctual start, turning up with stunning regularity on the eve of each new month. The plastic covering is also easy to tear off. And it is this combination of events that gives you a comforting feeling about the information inside, even though experience tells you to beware.

With this month's issue, you could reverently run your hand over Richie McCaw's picture on the pitch black cover, and still hold on to the belief that precise information regarding the biggest event on the planet - football's World Cup - would be inside even though it failed to even rate a mention on Richie's cover-photo chest.

Big mistake fella. Haven't you learned by now that SkyWatch is a rough guide, that it has a margin of error? How could you forget that the programmes are zoomed in by satellite from around the globe whereas the information guide is zapped down from Mars?

Put it this way - when things appear to be going wrong in the wee hours, suspicion immediately centres on that book on the coffee table.

WARNING: This publication is written by nuts.

It's called SkyWatch because often the only recourse is to throw your eyes to the heavens.

So my opening World Cup effort was a troubled event, marred by the inner frustration of having apparently again fallen into the SkyWatch trap.

Normally, when it comes to opening and closing ceremonies, I'm with Prince Philip who describes them as "a pain in the neck".

But this is football fever time, and besides, it sounded like a good laugh, watching the Germans trying to have a fun time.

The final analysis, however, was this. Opening ceremonies are an even greater pain in the neck when you've adopted the corkscrew position for three hours' sleep on the couch then managed to find the alarm clock only to find you can't find any TV pictures when you know that blokes in embroidered leather gear are, at that very moment, prancing around a German stadium for your benefit.

Oh well, it's all for the love of the game.

And I'll give Sky this.

When I did finally locate the opening ceremony after a bit more kip, it was covered in a healthy minimum, with our very own comments men Fred de Jong and Heremaia Ngata allowed to dominate the early stages from a studio. There is only so much lederhosen that even a football fan running a World Cup fever can take.

* You just never know what is around the corner with the World Cup. That's the beauty of it.

Among the pre-tournament reading came the news that Paraguay players are traditionally good at heading, primarily to counteract the dodgy pitches in their country.

The commentator during Paraguay's opening match against England also revealed that the former Brazilian goalkeeper Marcos described his club-mate Carlos Gamarra as "the best centre-back ever".

Yet, irony of ironies, it was Gamarra's headed deflection from a David Beckham free kick which gave England their 1-0 victory.

* The All Blacks' mass selection policy is a joke. Honestly, 39 players for three tests. Say that slowly. Thirty-nine players for three tests. Surely not, yet it is so.

And the Irish were fools to themselves in Hamilton on Saturday night. Some of their tactical choices towards the end of the test - when on the brink of a historic victory over the All Blacks - were ridiculous.

Yet, out of it all, arrived a decent test match. A closely-fought clash that gets the nerves jangling wins hands down over one of those early-season demonstration sport tragedies where the All Blacks go through practice drills and knock up a cricket score.

Had the All Blacks put out their top line up, particularly with Dan Carter on board, the result would probably have not been so close.

Yet it was a major plus having an early season game in the balance, unlike years gone by when the All Blacks were matched against cannon fodder. Test matches aren't supposed to be about skill drills and Super 14-type frolics.

And as a bonus, we got to see glimpses of the real Brian O'Driscoll. What a superb footballer.

It brought home the real disappointment of his first-minute demise in Christchurch with the Lions last year. That much-vaunted series, which turned into a lemon, desperately needed a fit and firing O'Driscoll.

I doubt if the Irish will get so close at Eden Park, however, with the home side having blown the cobwebs out of the system. Hamilton was Ireland's best chance on this tour to finally beat the All Blacks.

* Speaking of O'Driscoll ... not only did he get dangerously dumped in New Zealand last year. Now he's been lumped in with the taffies. TV commentator Grant Nisbett had a rare slip, claiming: "O'Driscoll - looking to inspire the Welsh again."

High

The World Cup is here. It's been a mixed start, with England disappointing despite a victory over Paraguay. But we've already had an upset and great goals. A tantalising month of football lies ahead.

Low

Watching Marty Holah battling away in the No. 6 jersey, in a mis-shapen loose forward outfit. You suspect it was a hometown All Black selection, but it hardly did Holah any favours.