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.  

He went on to play his first season of Super rugby in 1997, launching a Super rugby career that now spans a decade.  His career is notable for the old school path that it has taken, and contrasts starkly with the latest trend to run for the money at the first sign you're worth a dollar overseas.  With the blessing of good health at his side he has stuck by New Zealand rugby into a grand old rugby age of 31.

I salute and respect everything his long career stands for and wish him all the best as he picks up his Japanese bonus cheque for the next two years.   I suggest that without players like Caleb Ralph Super rugby will be so much more the poorer, this game needs more of the loyalty you brought to the table.

It is probably true to say he has not been the most popular player, some have questioned his ability on this forum.  This season is not likely to be his most sparkling - sadly, wings and centres rarely age like a good wine or front row forward.  But hats off to a man who didn't run off at the first whiff of money, didn't wilt in the face of the emotional pressure of being an All Black but who stuck with it for a decade.

They might rewrite history, as is occasionally done, but let their words fall where they may.  The truth will always remain and cannot be taken away from you.

Congratulations and thank you Mister Ralph!

•  The longest currently serving Super rugby player
•  Second highest Super rugby try scorer (58) behind Doug Howlett (59)
•  103 Consecutive Super rugby games over eight years
•  124 Crusader caps over 10 seasons (so far)
•  Only three Super rugby appearances behind George Gregan (on 136 at the most ever for a player)
•  14 All Black caps, with nine tries to his credit, a 64% strike rate
•  Winner of FIVE (count them) Super rugby titles
•  Member of the NZ Maori for eight seasons including the 2005 Lions victory team
•  New Zealand Sevens member in 1996 - 1998 and 2000
•  Made the New Zealand Sevens team whilst still in school