The All Blacks have just begun their international season which means Kiwis can get back to their favourite passtime: watching and criticising their beloved ABs. NZ thrashed Samoa in the first match but not well enough to stop everyone worrying about playing Argentina, let alone France at the end of the month (which Sue and I are going to). Likely to cheer everyone up is the news that fly-half Mehrts is back on Saturday, Lomu’s back on the wing and Jerry Collins is in at Number 8.

It’s not hard to get swept up in a country’s favourite sport, but Sue and I are trying to regain some Englishness by going to the (proper) footy tonight: NZ are playing Australia in a World Cup playoff in Wellington. Not much hype round here for such an important match - football’s not really that big over here - but we’re really looking forward to freezing our arses off by the sea at the Cake Tin.