Did they win?
No.
Hang on
Good point.
Actually, the Otago rugby team did win.
They won seven straight games and too many trophies to count (including the treasured Ranfurly Shield, and long may it stay in the South).
They won the "introduced two future stars to New Zealand rugby" trophy, which might be completely fictitious but is not a bad way to sum up the impact made by young guns Dylan Pledger and Lucas Casey.
Perhaps most importantly, they won the people back.
Because rugby at the top levels is not really about the 15 players on the field, or the coaching team behind them, or the management and support staff, or the sponsors.
It is about the people who get a buzz out of seeing a team — THEIR team — perform.
Otago won lots this season, and they played great rugby, and they reconnected with their community in a way we have not seen in a long time.
I am reliably informed there were more Otago supporters than Cantabrians on the field in Christchurch after the whistle blew in the NPC final, even though Otago lost the game.
The buzz is back in Otago rugby, and hopefully the union and future NPC teams in blue can keep that going for a long time.
Grand predictions
Not all of us consider this to be a proper grand slam tour.
The All Blacks are indeed playing all four "home nations" but the fact tomorrow’s test against Ireland is in Chicago, not Dublin, rather places an asterisk on that fixture.
Nevertheless, this tour is a big deal for the All Blacks, and for coach Scott Robertson, and for fans who would love some firm idea of how this team are really tracking.
My gut feeling is they won’t win all four tests.
Ireland are not what they were, and they will be rusty tomorrow, while Wales are obviously not good at all.
England at Twickenham is the most difficult challenge. But the real wildcard is the test that usually causes the All Blacks few problems.
Scotland are good — especially in the backs. Could a seismic shock be on the cards?
The GOAT
AI is obviously awful and will eventually take all our jobs and make the modern world even worse.
But sometimes it is spot on ... well, nearly.
ChatGPT was asked to list the 100 greatest athletes of all time
Also, while Wilt Chamberlain was undeniably great, not sure what he did to deserve being ranked No 25, No 44 AND No 57.
Interestingly, the list finished with a flurry of All Blacks — Dan Carter at No 94, Richie McCaw at No 95, and Jonah at No 96.
No 1? Michael Jordan. So AI is sometimes quite accurate.
Names of the week
Is this real? Or AI being AI?
Either way, as someone who always loves a good name, I enjoyed this list of great names in professional golf:
Rich Parents. Dick Mast. Buzz Fly. Daniel Iceman. Jug McSpaden. Tony Pancake. Blake Proverbs. Billy Sixty. Bertie Snowball. Chuck Tickle. Kermit Zarley. Buddy Rust.
Senior citizen of the week
English footballer James Milner, who counts my beloved, if UTTERLY FALTERING, Liverpool among the many clubs he has represented in his remarkable career, did something special last week.
When Milner made the assist for Brighton team-mate Charalampos Kostoulas to score a late consolation against weirdly resurgent Manchester United, it was the first time in Premier League history that a player provided an assist to someone who was not born when the man who made the pass made his debut.
Milner was 16 when he made his debut for Leeds in 2002, and at 645 appearances, he is just eight off the Premier League record held by Gareth Barry.
Absent with leave
The Last Word is taking a couple of weeks off.
Famously ill at ease in large crowds, he is going to hang out with 80,000 other people in Sydney to see the greatest band in the world.
And who might that be?
Well, let’s just say I’m free ... to say whatever I like ... if it’s wrong or right ... it’s all right.
