You have to be bloody joking!

I hope one of the things we do after this tournament is to give ourselves the confidence to have another shot

Tew, rugby union chief executive, said all bets were now off

All right for those who are a having the time of their lives dining on all the VIP freebies on taxpayer and ratepayer tabs. All in the name of the national game, whilst being reminded at every turn 'it is good for you'.

I did not watch the opening, have not watched one game to date, am heartily sick of rugby this, rugby that, the endless displays of supposed native culture, embarrassing for everyone, but will be forced to pay for a wanton waste of money on this extravaganza for the next decade or more.

While the rest of the global economy tanks, New Zealand ratepayers throw hundreds of millions into stadia so a private company can hold their overpriced, over-hyped festivals of on-paddock thuggery free of charge.

And they want us to do it all over again? Get bloody real!