As we stand at the foot of a growing tidal wave of commercialism - that will no doubt change the face of the game that we love, I take this moment to tip my hat to one of the good guys.

Caleb Ralph has announced he will take up a contract with Japanese club Sanix at the end of this Super 14 season.

Very few can claim to attain the lofty levels to which his rugby career has taken him.  And what a wonderful career it has been.  A product of Auckland Marist and coming up through the New Zealand Schools team in 1995 he appeared for Bay of Plenty in the 1996 provincial cup while in his last year of school.  

Like other debates led by the more reactionary elements of the northern hemisphere unions, those running around like chicken little over the ELVs are reacting to the half truths, propaganda and outright lies of a shameful UK media.

British rugby columnists, as a rule, never let the facts get in the way of a good story and are forever beholden to self-serving troglydtes in the Home Unions. In their miserable little world, every innovation in the game is a southern hemisphere plot devised by shadowy forces hell bent on turning rugby union into league.

Hate the ELVs, here's your chance to have a little moan about it, thanks to a petition being run on line - but find out a few fact before you do.  To start with, where the ELVs idea started - at IRB central, in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, with just one Aussie involved - so the 'Aussie league conspiracies' camp can shove their argument up their arse to start with!  Find out the main players leading the ELVs here.  His Bobness, as per usual, also offers a more balanced view of proceedings, read his thought here.  Now read on for more about the petition.  Debate, as per usual, in the forum.

As we move into the final two rounds of Super 14 2008, we can reflect over this weekend of some high’s and lows for South African teams.

Firstly, the Sharks match against the Crusaders. Yip, I actually tipped an upset and predicted a back against the wall Shark team with everything to play for, to pull one over the fancied champions in waiting.

With the recent report released and the mumblings from John O’Neill around extending the Super 14 a major task arises of how the complete calendar of NZ rugby should look.  It is by no means a simple task, having to align club rugby, the NPC, the Super 14, Tri Nations, domestic tests and the end of year tour, but I thought I would have a wee attempt at coming up with a solution rather than just complaining about it all.

Big game Friday night so time to do some analysis of the game.

Blues
On paper the Blues look good, perhaps even better than the Crusaders.  Unfortunately games aren't decided on paper.  The Blues are woefully out of form and their season is on a downward spiral.  The individual parts of their game are OK.  Lineouts are solid and scrum is going well. 

I know it isn’t a popular position to hold, but I like the ELVs (as they are being trialled in the Super 14).   

In the mainstream media, the northern hemisphere especially, reacts as if the nature of the game has been or will be changed.  This is simply bullshit.  The game isn’t any more like league than it is under the old rules.

Let’s look at the major changes then.