Nick Evans and Engerland

I'm not sure whether it went quietly under the radar or not in NZ.  Nick Evans has signed up with the bloodgate Harlequins for the next few years.  Which means he won't be coming home to have another crack at the holy grail. Which is a great shame.

 I always felt that Evans had the same qualities as Dan Carter. Quick on his feet and the magical ability to slice through a gap (something that Cruden promisingly does have). I'm not sure what the three wise men said to him before he left these shores, but I can't understand why they didn't fight to keep him, or fought to get him back.  He is a class player and I for one am disappointed. Unlike Carl Hayman who was courted heavily by the NZRU but still chose money over the jersey, Evans was always the undrstudy and treated like one. I understand why he's decided to do what he's done. This is our loss.

In England the newspapers (the Times mainly) are starting to hype up that great last bastion of free flowing rugby - the English.  One win against Australia this year  and Laurence Dallaglio and the like are full of the gumption and fighting talk that typically characterises the English rugby clubs and media. The world is in England's hands according to Lol and they should start walking with a 'swagger'.

"A lot of teams are at the pinnacle of their evolution," drones Sir Lawrence. "Can New Zealand get any better? This England team is still evolving. Imagine how good they could be in a year's time, and in four years."

According to the media, England's fresh blood are the new golden boys that are going to lead the white roses into the light of glory..."Our win in Australia (yawn) has told everyone we can beat the best teams." According to Dallaglio, we need to watch out for Courtenay Lawes, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole and Chris Aston who are leading the way to an England resurgence in the backline.  It's a matter of 'watch this space' or potentially 'more of the same hype but nothing different'.  You decide.

The sad thing is that he is probably right.  A world cup tournament is different to rugby tests played week in and week out.  We all know the All Blacks don't play well in tournament pressure cookers (baring South Africa 1995 when we did play very well indeed but got beaten on the day by a better team - and no - I'm not daring to mention Suzy).

England had a dismal world cup in 2007 losing 40 - 0 against South Africa in the heats.  How any team can lose 40 - 0 and then go on to play in the final of a world cup tournament says something for how well tournaments sort the wheat from the chaff (IMO not much at all) but also, something for England's spirit (and the very wonderful goal kicker Jonny Wilkinson).

I still don't think England deserve to walk with a swagger yet though. One win against an Australian side that has been beaten ten times in a row by the All Blacks? It reminds me a little of that old saying- one swallow does not a summer make.

A Super 14 Malaise

So the Super 14 has kicked off.

And in the middle of one of the best New Zealand summers since the 80s, we’re all still licking our wounds and avoiding mention of the 'rugby' word after the disastrous world cup tournament in October. You can imagine, there’s not much interest here in Aotearoa while there's cricket to watch and vitamin D to collect. Oh, and of course I got married too last month, so I had other things to keep me occupied!

South Africa in doubt?
I haven’t been paying much attention to the opening games of the tournament - but judging by osmosis, South Africa already look like a union in doubt. With Matfield, Smit and James now overseas plying their trade and the likes of Habana and Pretorius injured, their glory days of the World Cup are already looking short-lived. Hopefully it won't be world chump time all over again, aka 2003.

Nick Evans set to set alight the Blues
If I had to hedge my bets, I’m guessing it will be the Auckland Blues this year that will be the runaway success. They’ve always had a backline that scintillates, but now with a quality first-five in the likes of Nick Evans, the tournament is theirs for the taking.

Canterbury won't do is this time
Robbie Deans is off to the Wallabies and although the Crusaders are a team to be reckoned with, I seriously doubt whether even they with a coming-back-into-form Carter and a loved up Richie McCaw will be able to pose a serious threat. Their rugby might be getting a bit past its used-by- date.

Colin Cooper - not a good coach
As for the Hurricanes? Sure, they beat Waikato in the weekend. But only a biased Dom-Post reporter would not admit that Colin Cooper is a weak coach that can't read a game, judging by his past results when you've allegedly got a plethora of world class players at your disposal. Or maybe the So'oialos, Collins', Hores and Tialatas aren't really cracked up to be what they are either.

So, the tournament is gonna be a long one. Maybe by June, I’ll be vaguely interested again.

• Dream on Jim. The Hurricanes didn't do it last year and they won't do it this one either

• Keep your mind on the game: Richie McCaw and gorgeous Dancing with the Stars gal Hayley Holt hook up