Sonny Bill and the All Whites

Just back from a walk with the boy. The dairy up the hill didn't have toffee milks (a Kiwi classic) but they did have Reese's peanut butter cups (an American classic). Go figure.

So, there are two big sporting events on tonight. Well, one big sporting event. And one more blow to boxing's reputation as a proper sport.

The football first. It's just a friendly in Adelaide but there is definitely some pressure on the All Whites to perform. Not to win, you understand – we're still a long way off having that sort of expectations – but to be competitive, to play some good football and to score a goal or two.

The midweek performance against Mexico in Denver was pretty dire. And as many others have pointed out, it's been a long time since the miracle of South Africa, and an even longer time since the All Whites' last win.

Former skipper Danny Hay had a nice piece in the Sunday News today in which he explains how the All Whites struggle without talismanic captain Ryan Nelsen, and suggests how they should be playing.

He also makes the smart assertion that the All Whites need to start putting faith in the next generation in the first year of a World Cup cycle.

And the boxing? Well, it's not exactly going to be Frazier-Ali, is it?

It's a physically gifted, pugilistically-challenged rugby player against an overweight sickness beneficiary.

You know it's going to be a farce. You know SBW will win. And.....that's all there is to say.

The ONE good thing about the boxing is the donation Sonny Bill has made to the Christchurch earthquake appeal. Apart from that, it's a joke.

Other news today:

My beloved Boston Red Sox won a wild game against the Oakland Athletics. They gave up a four-run lead, had two players ejected and won in 14 innings (a game is normally nine, for all you non-baseballers).

The Vancouver Canucks beat the Boston Bruins in overtime in game two of ice hockey's Stanley Cup. I am warming (pardon the pun) to ice hockey. The Dunedin Thunder is growing in confidence in the national league, and I am intrigued (if still quite cynical) about this US-Canada invitational game coming to Dunedin.

The Herald on Sunday has an insider saying Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos is “gone for all money”. It would be desperately sad if the Phoenix falls to ashes, or goes to Auckland. New Zealand needs the franchise to be vibrant and successful. And my stepkids like to see their cousin, Ben Sigmund, in action.

The HoS also has more on the possible departure of multiple players from the Southern Steel following the controversial coaching change. Losing the likes of Daneka Wipiiti and Erika Burgess won't bother new coaches Janine Southby and Natalie Avellino too much, but I'd be very worried if Leana de Bruin and Liana Leota move on.

And finally (courtesy of the best Sunday paper again), there's a quirky little story reporting one of Richie McCaw's ancestors came from Jamaica. Seriously, that's it.