Editorial: This year Santa brought us rugby

OPINION: It may only be a few days from Christmas and summer has finally decided to make an appearance, but rugby is still making headlines only a month or so before the Super 14 season kicks off again.

On one hand it shows the changing and ever-elastic nature of our national game as it spans the year from January to December.

The game so many of us love has been in the news pages almost as much as the sports section over the past couple of months as the fate of the Air New Zealand Cup was decided for next year and beyond.

The rhetoric and bluster about what should be the best outcome was debated from the top to the bottom of the country.

After all the bad blood, we've now got some good news to work with. First of all, the Turbos are staying in the top flight; a great result from a tremendous community effort.

Then came news that from 2011 the top 14 teams would be split into two tiers based on their finishing positions in 2010.

As with all compromises, no party is 100 per cent happy with the outcome but it does give certainty for players, fans and sponsors for (hopefully) years to come.

It also hopefully signals an end to the off-the-field dramas that have dogged the game this year.

The focus has been too much on what happened in the board rooms around the country, rather than what happened on the paddock.

If the Turbos keep improving and cash in on the close games next year, they have a good chance of making the top seven for the newly announced premiership in 2011.

With a number of hurdles cleared the players can next year concentrate on playing good footy, entertaining passionate crowds and winning games.

On top of that fillip, news came through days later that Palmerston North would host Argentina, a top European qualifier and a yet-to-be-confirmed third team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

It was no surprise that the Argentinians ended up in Palmerston North – they sent a scouting team through here earlier in the year. Hosting such a high-profile and popular team as the Pumas is a real coup for the city and the region and is a credit to the organisers who did their best to share the game around the country.

ONE MORE THING

So, it's only four more sleeps until Christmas day. A lot of planning and preparation goes into making the big day right. Families battle tight timelines and budgets to make the day as special as it can be.

It's easy to get caught up in the hype and the stress leading up to the big occasion. It's important, however, not to lose sight of why all the effort is made: to be with the ones you love.

So, while you're queuing for those last-minute presents, take a deep breath and know that it will all be worthwhile.