Watching the highlights of the Chiefs in the Super 14 didn't take long. The lowlights were considerably more time consuming, unfortunately, although the lads put on a good spurt at the end. Where is S. Donald and who is the decent player that took his place?

It's great to be able to watch the Tri-Nations from overseas surrounded by people from the nations your team is playing. It's even better when the All Blacks stuff someone, like they did in Saffa-land, coming from behind to win and looking good too. Shame they went and blew it in Melbourne the week later, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I really recommend heading to the Wlakabouts at Shepherd's Bush or Temple at least once. We kept the Bledisloe and the 3N trophy so at that stage all was (almost) well.

In other rugby news my beloved Waikato had a fairly dismal time in the ANZC compared to the year before, but then I kinda suspected that might happen. Losing the Shield after a week was pretty disappointing after taking it so convincingly from those turboed-hatchback driving North Harbour pretenders too.

I also saw the Sevens at Twickenham and the boys in Black took it out, great stuff and the team really do us proud -  making an effort to thank all the supporters like they did with a Haka for each clump of Kiwi's.

Meanwhile I got well and truly sucked into the vortex that is the English Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League, after being a fringe-fan for years. Manchester United won the EPL and I was happy.

Then the rugby world went into turmoil - England X going to South Africa, France sending their C team to New Zealand, and then the Saffa's pulling the same kind of stunt as everyone geared up to the RWC. I was really pissed off with that latter move, and I'm hoping the focus on building for the RWC over a long stretch goes away now as teams might realise the build up can be looked after from about 6 months out. Fingers crossed then the 3N will be abandoned for Twenty11 to stop those tests being a farce.
I'm not going to rant on about the RWC. That's been done to death. It was great to go to see the AB's vs Scotland in Edinburgh, of course. And I'm glad Henry is still coach. Enough said from me.

In my other favourite sport to watch, Formula One, Lewis Hamilton showed up and rocked the boat like no-one else has done for years. His arch-rival after a handful of races, Fernando Alonso, looked like a spoilt brat, and the bloke I thought was going to be Ferrari's saviour post-Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, looked a tad disinterested. Massa was giving it all but looking over-excited and a bit cocky, and I still chuckle at the way Renault lost their way without Alonso to set up Fisi's car for him. BMW will be strong in 08, that's my pick for most improved player.

As for the other big drama in F1 this year, personally I was getting so sick of hearing James Allen thrashing himself into a coma in the commentary box over Hamilton that I really couldn't feel sorry for McLaren being punted out of the Constructors Championship after being found to have the Ferrari 2007 F1 car construction manual pinned up on the garage wall. So Ferrari took the Constructors title by default and even more happily for me they then took out the Drivers Championship through Kimi in a brilliantly dramatic last race.

All that in the same year as I got to visit the Ferrari hometown of Maranello, Italy. Happy days for this Ferrari fan!

So, roll on 2008, no doubt there'll be ups and downs, triumph and tragedy again... Actually, just a little less tragedy for New Zealand this time round please Santa.

Cheers, Scorz.