There's an elephant in the room - and it's not just standing there, it's defecating on the couch. It's the All Blacks or, rather, the terribly unsettling fact that they are playing so bleeding well.

Diary note: October 12, 2034. Let's see if Sam Burgess is such a big hero then. Let's see how his brain's doing 20 years from now.

The art of the apology has come into focus yet again as yet more professional sportspeople grapple with the 'sorry' syndrome.

The impending perjury trial of Chris Cairns calls to mind the strange tale of author, former convict and lord of the realm, Jeffrey Archer.

Paul Lewis writes: Rugby's ridiculous laws and the well-meaning but ultimately confusing 'interpretations' ask too much of officials on the field.

Hopefully Ryan Nelsen isn't so scarred from his sacking at Toronto FC that he abandons a career in football management.

paul Lweis writes: Warriors under-20s player James Bell, recently banned for three games after spitting blood at an opponent, unwittingly hit on a broader issue.

Prepare for more bleating that boxing promoters are pushing New Zealand heavyweight hopeful Joseph Parker too hard, too fast if, as is possible, the rising heavyweight is set up to fight US boxer Fres Oquendo at the end of the year.

Paul Lewis writes: Lauren Boyle's success was one of the most uplifting sights in Glasgow but has underlined a recurring problem - what to do about NZ swimming?

Now we know why the rest of the world glories whenever the All Blacks crash out of the Rugby World Cup at the hands of France.

So Lou Vincent has made his cathartic confession. The big question is: what happens now in the battle against match fixing?

Poor, old Luis Suarez. The more you see the biting incident in this otherwise terrific World Cup, the more you fear for the guy's mental health.

Let's start a replacement America's Cup, a proper one, with one set of rules for everyone and genuine competition, says Paul Lewis.

In the midst of the dilatory schemozzle of the International Cricket Council inquiries into match fixing, came a gem from batting great Glenn Turner.

The sad business of Benji Marshall's failed code-hop has dangerously sharpened the focus on Blues coach John Kirwan, writes Paul Lewis.

This is not a column for the faint-hearted. It's about All Black Aaron Smith and the puzzling trend of athletes and politicians choosing

The ship of fools sails on ... the Warriors' chaos in the aftermath of Matt Elliott's sacking as coach demands that someone take an axe and blowtorch to the club, top to bottom.

It's hard to think of a dumber move in sport than Andrew Fifita's comment which ended his move to the Bulldogs from the Sharks, writes Paul Lewis.

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

There is a proposal to boost Super Rugby team numbers to 18, possibly basing the latest addition in Europe, writes Paul Lewis.

Barker answered Henry's probing questions with hesitancy, looking as if secret information was being prised out of him, writes Paul Lewis.

It comes to all in sport, even the elite; the day when time, body and mind of a top sportsman or woman are dimmed, writes Paul Lewis.

There's about 16 million reasons for hoping the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl tomorrow morning.

There was a curious backlash against "the media" for highlighting the Steven Luatua incident with that moronic Neknominate drinking fad, writes Paul Lewis.