Chris Rattue: You’re off beam on Conrad, comrade

Quote of the week belongs to the one and only Murray Mexted, who described All Black centre Conrad Smith as "The White Russian" soooooo often last Friday night that one of his TV co-commentators just HAD to ask where this highly unusual handle came from.

"Conrad's a very Russian name," Mexted announced proudly, as the Hurricanes-Chiefs clash paled into insignificance.

This is not the sort of statement you would have bandied about in Stalingrad 60-odd years ago, given the German history of the name Conrad. There were even a few German King Conrads.

Rattue's prediction: "The White Russian" is a name that will not stick.

But the irrepressible Mexted is unlikely to be deterred.

Who's to say he won't find an alternative?