Greg Ford: Colin no fan of Jerry's greatest hit
Colin Charvis is sporting a big black eye this week, which might explain his rather sensitive disposition. He of course is the bloke that Jerry Collins knocked out cold in Hamilton two years ago. Tana Umaga came to his rescue to make sure he didn't swallow his tongue, which he didn't. But a cat must have had a go.
When asked about the Tana incident this week he was less than forthcoming in the All Black skipper's hour of need when his character is being attacked from all quarters. Maybe it was just in front of the Kiwi media, as he was more forthcoming with the BBC in a TV interview that screened later that night. Or maybe, just maybe, he knew which question was coming next, because it revealed big Colin is still pretty freaked out by Kiwi hitman Collins.
He simply didn't want to spend a second thinking about Collins, batting back any question about the incident. The bad news for Colin is his marker on Sunday (Chris Masoe) can hit every bit as hard as Jerry. Chris' brother Maselino is the reigning WBA middleweight boxing champion of the world. Big Colin could have two blacks eyes come Sunday night.
One of the nice blokes of the All Blacks is without doubt Carl Hayman. Because this year's tour party has swelled to about 50, room in the AB's swanky hotel - The Hilton - is at a premium. To make room the team's web writer got shunted down the road to different digs, which must have been a bummer for him. Hayman obviously thought so. On leaving for his new abode, who was on hand to give him a hand with his bags? Hayman of course.
In fact, there must be something in the water in Dunedin because Anton Oliver also reaffirmed what a class act he is off the field this week during a visit to a 95-year-old lady's house, the daughter of one of the Welsh team members who played the All Blacks in 1905. The old dear was in pretty good nick for her age, but conversation was a bit of a challenge. No worries for Anton though. He kept the dialogue rolling with his charm and wit.
One last thing before I sign off. If you plan to listen to NewstalkZB's radio commentary of the test while tucked up in bed on Sunday morning, block your ears if the subject turns to Coronation St as it did last year. Andrew Saville, one of the best in the business, is calling the game and is a closet Coro fan. He weaved a few story lines into his call last year before they had screened back home, upsetting a few listeners. You have been warned.
November 2
Sick of talk about that tackle? Wish Brian O'Driscoll would get over himself? Wondering why we're re-litigating the Lions tour? Want this story to die a natural death and on the double?
If you've ticked off all the boxes above, it might not pay to hold your breath. Because me thinks this issue, which has so far engulfed the grand slam series, could also define it.
Over here at least there's simply no escaping it. From granny at the corner dairy to the barman at the local boozer, they are all talking about it.
Within minutes of my arrival in the Welsh capital a Cardiff cabbie, once she'd sussed I was a Kiwi, hoed into the topic.
"Are those two boyos who up-ended our Brian coming on tour?"
She, yes she, although it was hard to tell, even had a crack at pronouncing Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu's names and as you'd imagine it wasn't pretty. Nevertheless her meaning at least wasn't lost in translation. Home Union rugby fans want Umaga hung drawn and quartered, his head on a platter and the All Blacks scalp to boot.
That's nothing new. The All Blacks have met with lukewarm responses in this neck of the woods before. But never before has this rugby rivalry become so personal.
Umaga is a marked man, as he was in the second and third tests in the Lions series.
We all know how that ended. The All Blacks hit back in spectacular fashion.
And even though the chances of that happening again, according to Doug Howlett, are slim (Doug thinks the issue is 'dead and buried') the reception in Dublin next week is going to be lively.
Tickets to the Lansdowne Road tests are going for a bomb and interest in the match is being ratcheted up thanks to the help of the likes of Syd Millar, chairman of the international Rugby Board, who even has the knives out in waiting for Tana.
Millar, an Irishman, tried to sheet home this week, in a poignantly timed message, that dangerous tackling was rugby's newest cardinal sin. To illustrate his point he used the Umaga incident even though his judiciary, which he oversees, felt Umaga didn't even have a case to answer.
Umaga shrugged his shoulders when asked about the timing. He doesn't really give a toss about Syd's slight. He came up with the most sensible solution to putting the issue to bed this week by offering to lie on a beach in Spain instead of heading to dreary Dublin next week.
While our sense of humour is being sorely tested by the saga, Tana hasn't lost his.