48 hours: Glory for some, but agony for others

This was a sporting weekend all about comebacks. Here's a rundown.

Best Comeback: The Possibles in the All Black trial

Since most players with the major claims as well as those entitled to make land claims weren't playing, this trial meant even less than usual. It should really have been the Possibles versus the Improbables.

And trials are hardly an entertainment winner at the best of times. Spending a Friday night watching a trial tells you more about your own life than it does about players' selection prospects.

Allegedly, especially in the old days, trials could make or break careers. This was maybe the case most recently for Chiefs prop Deacon Manu, who hasn't seemed the same since bombing last year when forced to mark Carl Hayman on Manu's less-favourable side of the scrum.

But trials these days don't usually tell the selectors anything they don't already know about how they want to configure their squad, and Joe Public is certainly none the wiser.

This is why someone who seemed to have a strong match, like Nick Evans, found himself in the out tray the next day, while trial battlers like Ali Williams and Doug Howlett fell into the in basket.

Still, the team in white did a great job recovering from a black start. Unlike some of this weekend's other comeback contenders, they went on with the job.

Final verdict: Trials should get the death sentence.

The Lions could have done us a favour by putting up one of their security tents around the game. But well done, Improbables.

Worst Comeback: Jonah Lomu

Lomu will struggle to get in the Massey team on his form in the Martin Johnson testimonial match at Twickenham. Was gifted a try by a linesmen - even though his feet were almost in Hounslow by the time he got the ball down - and will have to get by without such charity in future.

The anti-rejection drugs he takes, after a kidney transplant, contribute to his bloated look. But while Lomu casts an even bigger physical shadow now, his former glories are casting the largest shadow over his comeback.

Way off the pace, he failed his pledge to play 80 minutes, instead departing at halftime with a shoulder injury suffered in some run-of-the-mill confrontation.

As I've said before, the kidney may turn out to be the least of Lomu's problems. It's the rest of his body that will let him down.

Verdict: A comeback that is inspiring to some, insane to others. For those desperate for a return to the glory days, get hold of the old videos.

Most Disastrous Comeback: Lawrence Dallaglio

Dallaglio's international return turned into a comeback disaster when he broke an ankle early against Bay of Plenty. A simple case of sheer bad luck. In days of old, we got Canterbury to remove troublesome opponents from touring teams and since they're not playing the Lions this time, Dallaglio's injury kind of makes up for that.

Final verdict: The World Cup winning forward has been an unmistakable figure in test rugby - England certainly missed him this year and the Lions will feel his absence.

Comeback Letdown No 1

Bay of Plenty seemed to be on a roll going into the second half. Then they got rolled by the Lions' big boys.

Verdict: The Lions should be chuffed at getting the first win under the belt by quelling spirited opponents.

Comeback Letdown No 2

An old favourite on these pages - the mighty Warriors. Roared back against a St George-Illawarra team that was more St John Ambulance than Dragon. Yet despite ailing bodies, it was the home side who finished the stronger.

The usual suspects were on parade for the Warriors - dodgy discipline and a scratchy kicking game.

Verdict: Get hold of the draw for the Warriors' remaining games - it's not pretty reading.

Most Unexpected Comeback: Liam Barry

Remember him - the only third generation All Black. Makes this lineup 'cos we all love a good story. Barry popped up on telly with a yarn from an All Black trial in the mid 1990s.

Apparently the bigwig reading out the All Black team after the match got muddled and listed the New Zealand development team reserves with the test side. Barry identified Waikato prop Craig Stevenson as one of the players who leapt around the dressing room going "I'm in, I'm in" before the blazer realised his blooper.

Note: This was the closest Stevenson came to being an All Black.