Normal service resumes!

Now that the All Whites have been knocked out of the football World Cup – I expect the country can now get back to normal.
Once again, everyone will become expert rugby analysts and fulltime All Blacks’ critics.
I have written before about my dislike of soccer and I am now looking forward to the sudden fever-pitch for the round ball game that has infected New Zealand during the past fortnight vanishing as quickly as it rose. It is funny, but I even thought about catching the highlights of New Zealand’s last pool match against Paraguay. However, after hearing it was a nil all draw, I concluded that there obviously were no highlights so I didn’t bother!
Despite the All White’s so-called “hugely successful” World Cup campaign (just how not actually winning any games and being knocked out after the first round equates to a “success” is a little beyond me), the country’s arm chair experts and sofa-bound sports buffs can now get back to berating sports talkback shows with their ill-informed comments on the All Black lineout, scrum technique or backline moves.
And it is not surprising. After all rugby is New Zealand’s national game. Our national team - the All Blacks - have been stunningly successful at rugby for more than a century and are highly likely to continue to be so for at least another 100 years or so. Whereas, there is no guarantee that the All Whites will even qualify for the next football World Cup in four years time!
To tell the truth, I am still at a loss to explain why all the euphoria and hype erupted over the New Zealand soccer team’s performance at this year’s World Cup in South Africa. Sure, I understand they were the lowest ranked team at the tournament and they exceeded everyone’s expectations by drawing the three matches they played.
But can they actually be classed them as winners? Hardly. Surely, you have to at least win a game or two to be considered a winner. Well you do in my book.
Can you imagine the cries of outrage up and down the country if the All Blacks got knocked out in the first round of next year’s rugby World Cup? Could you imagine the nation’s media proclaiming the All Blacks as being “winners” or having a “successful” campaign if they drew three matches in a row? Maybe on a Tui billboard – but that is about all!
So let’s - as a country - now get back to reality and normality by supporting a team that may actually win some games. Go the All Blacks!