The penalty for lifting tackle should be made so harsh that teams and players are persuaded never to do it, writes Paul Lewis.

The biggest issue in rugby league this week has been the reaction to the Alex McKinnon tragedy and the outpouring of support he has received.

Sanzar's file on referees' bloopers has gone to a new level.

New Zealand Herald sports columnist Chris Rattue watches a weekend of sport and decides it is time to change a few rules on the sporting landscape.

The Blues were a hard watch at the weekend, and that wasn't entirely down to referee Francisco Pastrana, although he must take some responsibility.

Watching the latest Super Rugby round offered a graph stretching from exhilarating to turgid. The problem was they were successive matches.

If you like your rugby loose with frequent scoreboard changes then head for Eden Park on Saturday.

If rugby bosses are serious about making the game more attractive for players, spectators and the television audience, they have to do something about the scrums.

There just might be a good story here, if you give it a chance. That will come as a disappointment if you're after a dissection of the Hurricanes or a panic piece on the Crusaders.

The dossier on the best use for Benji Marshall is expanding, writes Wynne Gray.

Larry Ellison wants to take yachting's greatest spectacle around the world, creating a world series similar to that of the Formula 1 circuit in motor racing, writes Dana Johannsen.

There are some words you don't usually associate with English rugby.

NZ aren't the invincible beast they appeared in 2013, writes Chris Rattue. "The NZ teams have come roaring out the gate like a drunk exiting a nightclub at 3am."

Consistency is not yet their forte as they wavered on the Highveld in Pretoria, teasing us they might conjure a late victory before falling 38-22 to the Bulls, writes Wynne Gray.

Their defence seemed to be all over the place - even organisational maestro Conrad Smith was caught out a time or two, writes Richard Loe.

Since Graeme Smith's debut in 2002, also on his home ground in Cape Town, the big lefthand opener has never ranked among the game's finest stylists, writes David Leggat.

Even when presented with video evidence of a trainer shoving smelling salts under a player's nose, the NRL failed to act, writes Dana Johannsen.

John Kirwan is on a crusade to get more passion back into his side and stir more support from Aucklanders, writes Wynne Gray.

If you're a fan of the Blues, you have every right to feel encouraged by what you saw on Friday night, writes Justin Marshall.

Summer or winter Olympic Games events make more compelling viewing when measured against fellow competitors and time, rather than by judges, writes Andrew Alderson.

The Crusaders haven't had the start they wanted but I wouldn't be too worried about their longer term prospects. Not yet, anyway, writes Richard Loe.

Outrageously young, supremely talented and yet virtually unknown, Tevita Li took a giant step towards stardom last night, writes Gregor Paul.

It was not quite a case of Simon who? when the Blues promoted Simon Hickey to five-eighths for tonight's Super 15 duel with the Crusaders.

Amid the chat about who would feel the selection blade for the Crusaders, Israel Dagg's demotion was not on the radar after the opening round, writes Wynne Gray.

I've recently been told I should "stick to netball, sweetie" when it comes to my columns. I say, f*** that, states Herald sports writer Dana Johannsen.