Everything is given a slogan these days.
And so it was back in 1995. The rugby wars, they called it.
The game was about to go professional. The three powerful southern hemisphere unions - South Africa, New Zealand and Australia - had signed a deal with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Murdoch's millions would fund a new professional game.
But within weeks a new entity had come into the picture.
The World Rugby Corporation was splashing cash around, backed by Australian media magnate Kerry Packer, and wanted to start up its own rugby circus.
There were secret meetings and contracts to sign contracts. At one time, it looked as if Packer's mob might have all the players in their pocket.
Jock Hobbs and Brian Lochore were skirting round the country talking to players on behalf of the NZRU.
The landscape was changing by the hour.
But in the second week of August, the goal posts shifted in the direction of the national union.
The tide turned for good when Otago and All Black stars Jeff Wilson and Josh Kronfeld signed a deal with the New Zealand union. That broke the back of the WRC and the next few days all the major players signed for the union.
Wilson said, when contacted this week, signing with the national body was not something he thought about much these days.
Time marches on, but Wilson said the fact all his Otago team-mates had made the decision to go with the New Zealand union was a big factor in making his mind up.
''We were under immense pressure. There was no doubt about that. But ... so many of your provincial team mates had committed their allegiance already with the New Zealand union,'' he said.
''As a young man, that made the decision a little bit easier.
''I remember going round to Josh's house and we had all the information and said, right, what are we going to do?''Was it surreal? Yes, it was, I suppose. I think playing for Otago and all the values that that brought around the team was a real help. The fact was we loved playing for Otago and playing for the All Blacks.
''A lot of provincial teams around New Zealand had already signed. And these are the guys who you spent the most time with.
''I'd like to think the decision we made was in the best interests of rugby.''
Wilson said obviously there were other players who were upset the alternative WRC lost out in the bid for players.
''I think there was some frustrations from other players that they did not get the opportunities. But we did what we thought was in the best interests of rugby.''
Money was not a big issue and Wilson said that remained today with All Blacks turning their backs on overseas offers to stay in New Zealand.
Kronfeld, who is overseas at present and could not be contacted, and Wilson continued to wear the All Black jersey and play for Otago.
Wilson said he had no vision of where professional rugby would lead at the time he signed.
''I was a young guy back then. I didn't know what I was doing next week, let along next year.
''But it was an exciting time for rugby and it still is. The first few years of Super rugby was incredibly exciting as it was all new.
''That is still around. You only have to look at the final this year. It is still exciting.''
