Top five columns of 2019: Gregor Paul

NZ Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul. Photo / Mark Mitchell

As we say goodbye to 2019 and welcome in 2020, it's a good time to catch up on the very best of the Herald columnists we enjoyed reading over the last 12 months. From politics to sport, from business to entertainment and lifestyle, these are the voices and views our audience loved the most. Today it's the top five from rugby writer Gregor Paul.

Magnificent Ireland v England rugby clash built on despicable lie

A February test match between England and Ireland in Dublin showed that the English side were genuine World Cup contenders. This prediction by Gregor Paul ultimately turned out to be correct, as the side won the tournament. "England didn't reveal they are a deadly attacking force — they confirmed it," he wrote.

Why world's best coaches are walking away from All Blacks

In March, Paul wrote about the uncertainty surrounding the future of All Blacks coaching after the World Cup. While initially there had been a vast array of high quality candidates likely to be in the race, many went on to give compelling reasons why they didn't want to coach the All Blacks. At the time, not even Ian Foster had ruled himself in - but in December, he took up the role.

Why Barrett red card was least deserved in history

During the Rugby Championship in August, French referee Jérôme Garcès made a controversial call when he red carded All Black lock Scott Barrett during a test match against the Wallabies. This offence, according to Paul, was one that some referees would have hummed and hawed whether to have even shown a yellow card.

Who will be the All Blacks' 2019 Rugby World Cup bolters?

In February, Gregor Paul ruminated on who the next World Cup superstar could be. "Someone unexpected will re-shape the All Blacks' attacking possibilities and give them a degree of freshness and unpredictability that hasn't been there in the last couple of years," he wrote. Looking back on previous World Cups, it seemed sure to happen again in 2019.

Top All Blacks need to close lid on futures

With the once-in-a-lifetime scenario of playing two seasons in Japan in 2020 and just missing one SUper Rugby campaign seeming unlikely, Paul considered the career prospects of Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. All three had hoped to have long term deals agreed by early 2019, to allow them to come into Super Rugby without their respective futures being a constant source of speculation.