Gap in our lives Um, now what do we do? Waking up the day after a World Cup final can be a depressing experience, and not just if you are a fan of any nation other than Spain. It is so big, so important and so relentlessly interesting that many other sports and tournaments seem quite piddling in comparison. But we must steel ourselves, take a deep breath, accept the next World Cup is four long years away (sob) and find some other sporting entertainment to capture our attention in the coming weeks. And there are plenty of options. Football, of course, never stops, and it is just 28 days until the opening round of the Premier League, when Liverpool charge back to the top of the table under an inspiring new manager, Arsenal get found out for their complete reliance on set-piece goals, Manchester City slip into the post-Pep abyss, Manchester United and Chelsea flatter to deceive, and Chris Wood starts banging them in again for Nottingham Forest. Closer to home, Auckland FC begin the defence of their A-League men’s title on October 17, and the Wellington Phoenix women will try to go one step better when the women’s season starts about a month later. The Commonwealth Games, even a drastically cut-back version, offer plenty of action and guaranteed Kiwi medals, and there is an epic, old-school All Blacks tour of South Africa not so far away. Rugby, of course, never stops. Matatū are in the Super Rugby Aupiki final today, and the NPC is just around the corner. The NRL season is nearing the pointy end, and lots of Warriors fans still believe it is their year (hah). And on a slightly lesser scale, the national basketball and ice hockey leagues will soon declare champions. There are plenty of Formula 1 races to go, and the NFL and NBA seasons will be here before you know it, not to mention a Rugby League World Cup and a Black Caps test series in Australia. Alive and kicking They might be something of an unloved cousin of the sporting world, and they have literally been cut in half, but the Commonwealth Games will always offer some magic moments. If they still mean something to a lot of athletes, and sports fans are still excited about watching, the Games will go on. Prepare for a glut of gold in Glasgow, I reckon. African safari The Last Word toyed with a deep dive into which 44 players would be named in this massive All Blacks squad on Monday for the Greatest Rivalry tour of South Africa. Too many names, too little space. Suffice to say there will clearly be room on the plane for Otago and Highlanders star Fabian Holland, who will get plenty of chances in the early tour games to get his match fitness back. New Zealand RugbyGet Timoci Tavatavanawai back in the All Blacks. Photo: Highlanders I will be disappointed for Otago No 8 Christian Lio-Willie, the best pure No 8 in the land, and Highlanders talisman Timoci Tavatavanawai if they do not get the call. Lucas Casey? Way too soon for me, even if the lad does have rare abilities. Surely Du’Plessis Kirifi gets the nod as an extra openside. Highlanders halfback Adam Lennox might be a long shot as a fourth No 9, and there will be no complaints if fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a bolter, alongside Crusaders winger Chay Fihaki and Blues No 8 Malachi Wrampling. We meet again Congratulations to the Harbour Hawks for winning the Dunedin division 1 club rugby title. Often the bridesmaid, finally the bride. A colleague pointed out all four premier club finals in the Otago region are rematches from 2025. Harbour played Kaikorai again, my club Valley and Excelsior will meet in the North Otago final on Saturday afternoon for a fourth consecutive season, Clutha and West Taieri will again do battle in South Otago, and Upper Clutha host Wakatipu again in Central Otago. Majorly exciting New Zealand sports achievements can be split into rough tiers based on things like public interest and popular culture and tradition and scale and global significance. The All Blacks tend to overshadow nearly everything, not much beats an Olympic Games gold medal, and there are big world cups in sports like cricket and netball. Further down are the battlers, the grafters, the niche stuff. Honestly, where to rank winning a golf major? REUTERSRyan Fox celebrates victory at the British Open. Photo: Reuters It is an incredibly rare and difficult accomplishment. Before this week, just THREE New Zealanders could call themselves major winners, and the first tournament was held in 1860. Ryan Fox’s stirring, sensational charge to British Open glory instantly elevates him into the New Zealand sporting pantheon, about eight tiers above his dad — sorry, Grant. Foxy’s legacy is secure but it would not be a shock if he wins another major before he is done. Power is power Where will Ryan Fox and any Commonwealth Games gold medallists appear in the annual ODT sport power rankings? Stay tuned. And fire any early suggestions to the usual email. God loves a trier There is little to be gained in highlighting a spectacular mismatch . . . but sometimes it is good to be reminded it is just a game. Bravo to the gutsy Oman under-18 girls who competed at the Asia Cup division B basketball tournament recently. They started with a 127-6 (yes, six points total) loss to Indonesia, finished with a 126-14 loss to the Cook Islands, shot at 12% from the field and 10% from three-point range, and committed 53 turnovers per game. hayden.meikle@odt.co.nz
