SUMMER hasn’t fired its last shot; cricket continues to entertain and the national game, under the guise of Super Rugby Aotearoa gets set to kick-off.
Yes another rugby year is about to hit us and, despite the perennial questioning as to why the season starts at this time, there is a level of anticipation surrounding Super Rugby.
Which teams will dominate early? Which players will shine? Which players will have slow starts? Will there be new stars emerging?
These are just some of the scenarios that fans love as they indulge in plenty of crystal ball gazing.
For starters I’m hoping this Super Rugby season brings some clarity with policing the persistent offside offending masquerading as defending in the midfield. If there’s a way to spoil a game then the flat defensive screens will do that. Referees have red and yellow cards so surely they should use them on players who consistently offend to gain an advantage on defence.
Sounds simple but it rarely is enforced.
Another aspect of the game that makes for a collective shudder is the cleanout. Players (primarily forwards) rocketing in to take a prone opponent out is dangerous (more on concussion in the next few weeks) and not a good look for the game.
AS you’d expect there have been some creative headlines relating to Tiger Woods and his car accident in the hills of Los Angeles.
“Bad Drive”, “Tiger Drives Out Of Bounds”, “Tiger In The Rough”, “Tiger Cheats Death”, “Tiger In Trouble … Again”, “Tiger’s Dodgy Drive” and “He Should Have Taken The Driver”.
It’s another chapter in the life of a modern day sporting icon that will be followed closely.
IT’S the 20th anniversary of the death of cricket’s greatest batsman.
Don Bradman - the diminutive Aussie whose name became a metaphor for excellence - was a dominant and divisive figure on and off-the-field during, and after, his amazing cricketing career.
The test match average of 99.94 will not be threatened and the way he dominated made his name synonymous with a supreme brilliance that transcended the game.
His name endures with comparisons of sports stars who dominate, as he did, being of “Bradmanesque” quality. The term has even been applied to business prodigies or musical virtuosos - in fact anyone who excels - as the “Bradmans” of their particular field.
It’s a legacy that will endure.
