KEY POINTS:
There are a lot of Canterbury people very, very disappointed in Daniel Carter and his decision not to play in the Air New Zealand Cup final.
No one knows why he did it. People are just shaking their heads and saying 'Why?' No one understands it, they just see it as a mystery - except, maybe, that when he was trying to explain it, he used the word `I' a lot. There were too many `I's'. There is no `I' in rugby.
He has to wake up and smell the coffee. He grew up in Canterbury, his family are stalwarts of the Southbridge club and they must be embarrassed.
I can understand why Canterbury coach Rob Penney was peeved. I would have been, too. Canterbury are paying him.
Sure, they won the game but I think it was poor that he didn't play _ and that's probably a Canterbury perspective more than that of a former All Black. Although I must say, if you get to be an All Black, it's because of your club and province. That's where it all starts.
I mean, you don't build a beautiful house and then rip the foundations out from underneath.
But while you can point the finger at Daniel Carter, the New Zealand Rugby Union should also cop it.
I am afraid that, for someone looking in from outside, it seems that Steve Tew and co are only worried about the Super 14 and the All Blacks - and the Air NZ Cup is just this problem they have to deal with.
Something like Carter not playing in their provincial rugby showcase just makes it look like the NZRU deliberately want to run down the competition - and that's sad, if that's the case.
No one is saying the All Blacks should play all games; things have obviously changed and gone too far for that. But they can play some games.
Look at Andrew Hore - there's a grassroots guy. He played for three weeks before going on tour and I'd suggest it's a lot more taxing playing hooker than it is playing first five-eighths.
No, I think Mr Carter and the NZRU have shot themselves in the foot.
* Last night's test in Hong Kong was also a bit of a trial for whether the Sanzar nations can run an elongated season of Super 14 and Tri Nations instead of having weakened, second-string Northern Hemisphere sides sent down here for a hiding in the June test window.
The test was about finding extra revenue streams and whether playing without the northern sides could earn the money and be sustained. Fair enough, the game in this part of the world needs the money - but we have to be careful that we do not end up paying rugby just for the sake of money. That's a real danger.
I reckon they should still send the weakened northern sides down here - but don't play them against the All Blacks. Organise a three-week tour with six games against New Zealand provinces. That would bring people out to attend the games, it would bring back something of the social aspect of rugby and it would partially reinstate the old tour days - something everyone enjoyed and which is largely gone now.
You know, the All Blacks aren't without fault. This team is pretty much the strongest we could have chosen but Graham Henry and co will rotate players and I'll bet the team that plays against Scotland is very second-string, for example.
The Sanzar nations want a greater share of the revenue when they tour up north - but they are going to have to offer the Northern Hemisphere a bit more than just: `Don't come'.
