Wrap - All Blacks No Excuses

1. Wallabies. A tremendous effort to get that far really. Anyone betting on a World Cup Final birth would have cleaned up. The All Blacks were simply awesome. The Welsh referee did us no favours but I did like the Chieka "no excuse" culture. A refreshing change and possibly why he is so successful. Loved the Steve Hanson response to the post match interviewer when she asked if he was worried at 21-17 up. "Worry is a wasted emotion". Gold. And that is why they win all the time.     

2. It is staggering to think that we have selected Joe Burns as opener in the First Test v NZ when established recognised openers – Cowan and Klinger have been piling on the runs. We then get treated to that same dumb and shocked face by Rod Marsh that John Inverarity had mastered all those years ago. Rod is fast becoming the “Iron Gloves” of selectors. The wheel has come full circle. Notwithstanding that howler, it was good to see that Bancroft, despite his considerable hype, was overlooked. Western Australian opening bats have a lot of growing to do on pitches outside of Perth…ask Shaun Marsh. Only Graeeeeeme Wood and Justin Langer reversed this, although Graeeeeme was a ‘duck or a hundred’ man.

3. The selection of Kahwaja has me baffled. No weight of runs there at all. He is the new Shane Watson. Another of those famous under performing batsmen who look good and promise more than Bill Shorten. Often injured, poor between the wickets (watch for a run out this series) and only good for between 20-30 runs max at Test level. Southee will sort him out big time.

4. Chelsea. It goes from bad to worse. Hard to believe the side has fallen apart so dramatically under Mourinho after a premiership last season. He will be heartened to know the horse bearing the same name is doing better than the special one himself. He may be at the coaching knackery soon.

5. MLB World Series. The Kansas City Royals are up over the NY Mets. The home and away series scheduling is very powerful in this. The crowds flock to all these games. A multi million dollar enterprise. Best of 7? How long before a best of three GF in the NRL? One in NSW and one in QLD. The third in the State of Origin winning state.

6. Bring back the ING Cup target sign in the outfield for the 20-20 this year! A great promotion. Did a celebrity ever lay a mit on one?

7. Can Jason Taylor last much longer? This will be it for the cranky one. Fancy signing Matt Ballin when Robbie Farah is still in the stable. Ridiculous.

8. How bad was that Blacktown pitch for the NZ match v Cricket Australia? It was so bad that it made the Kiwis bowl crap and get smashed. Talk about pathetic. They are an intriguing lot. I thought they had more in their kit than that. Lame brains. The All Blacks would have played on it.

9. What of Jarryd Hayne? Sounds like the political correct menace has got hold of the franchise and told it to get traditional. Surely another franchise will snap him up elsewhere. The rapidly changing nature of US sports will have him on a plane tomorrow to somewhere else. He is just a number in that part of the world. The hype is surely all ours.