Sticking with the rugby however and it was a tense week in the lead up to the final test match decider to see who would be victorious in the 9th time Australia has hosted the British and Irish Lions. The southern hemisphere focus was on the inclusion of George Smith, and whether Robbie Deans could win a series and hold on to his job a little longer. The northern hemisphere talk was focused on the naming of the Lions side with its 10 Welsh starting players, and the controversial omission of Brian O'Driscoll.
The stage was set for a bruising and intense encounter, and the Lions came out roaring from the start, and never let up, leading the entire match after a Alex Corbisiero try from a pick and go in the fourth minute. Kiwi Coach Warren Gatland was justified in his selections after sticking with what he knows (Welsh Players), and the gamble paid off in spades with a dominant performance winning 41 – 16. The scores were the closest they'd be all match at 16-19 to the Lions shortly after half time as the Wallabies edged closer with an O'Connor try and a few penalties, but only to lose concentration and defensive parity to let in three tries to Jonathan Sexton, George North and Jamie Roberts.
The score was a blow out in the end, with Robert's late try icing on the cake, as he made sure he deserved his starting jersey along with Jonathon Davies, who were both outstanding. It was a night of history with Leigh Halfpenny scoring the most points in a series ever for the lions in its 125 year history with 49 in three matches, and deservedly won player of the series.
As a Kiwi sports fan, I'm excited to see the talent Wales and the rest of the UK and Ireland has on show, and I'm excited to see the gap between northern and Southern hemisphere rugby shrink. Being born and bred in the Waikato myself, I'm also just a little bit proud that Warren Gatland (who played for, and coached Waikato), could coach the Lions to victory for the first time since 1997.
So as Australian Rugby licks its wounds and thinks about a new coach, as they prepare for the Four Nations Championship, the Northern Hemisphere rugby public (especially the welsh) will be riding high in confidence. They'll be thinking that come 2015 a Northern hemisphere team of either Wales, England or possibly Ireland (Sorry Scotland) could be major contenders to lift the elusive Web Ellis trophy for the second time; and this time it'll be in their own back yard.
Brad Mills enjoys the outdoors and almost any sport... For a day job he's a journalist who works at the Rhema Broadcasting Group in Auckland New Zealand.
Brad Mill's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/brad-mills.html