The 2008 Tri-Nations tournament did little more than confirm the ''rule of the whistle'' - thanks to Paddy O'Brien, the head of the IRB's referee board - with ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) showing how the inconsistency of unclear rule interpretation rather than skill can dominate rugby union.

But frustrated, brow-beaten Bok fans who've been over-exhausted scratching their heads at Aussie and Kiwi referees blowing the pea out of the whistle against them are equally flabbergasted by another whistle mystery. This time their raised eyebrows focus on the Rugby World Cup and the 1905 All Black vs England whistle used to start every RWC tournament.

The famous whistle used to start the first game of every World Cup to date is nearly 100 years old and bears an inscription saying it was used by Gil Evans in the Test match between New Zealand and England in December 1905, a match the All Blacks won 15-0.

With sinister close ties to New Zealand rugby, the whistle has been housed in the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North and was donated to them by the chairman of the NZRFU and manager of the 1924/25 All Blacks.

Harmless, you might say? Or maybe a nice historical touch?

The only mystery to many who feel that New Zealand have managed to overwork their marketing black magic in rugby union is that NOBODY bats an eyelid each time the All Blacks take a liberty or claim a concession.

I feel that, although this is a fine whistle, it does have a lesser rank than similar whistles of greater significance than commemorating All Black greatness. Many feel it's the connection to England that's probably oiled and clinched its selection.

This 1905 England vs All Black game surely doesn't warrant special commemoration above any of these:

1. The First Test - The first international between Scotland and England - played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on March 27, 1871.

2. The Boston Game - On May 14, 1874, Harvard University hosted Montreal’s McGill University in Cambridge, Mass., for what would be the first recorded rugby game on American soil. Harvard won 3-0.

3. The Zeerust Rugby League Champions Trophy in 1900, a true international rugby union ''World Cup'' featuring Canada, England, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

4. In fact, any of the many international rugby union Tests played after 1871 and before 1905.

At the end of the day, I suppose it doesn't really matter but it does help those that feel New Zealand really go to town with these knick-knacks.

Maybe the IRB should consider showing it's supposed to be impartial and select a non-New Zealand/England whistle because if the Springboks play the opening game with that whistle, I'll be tempted to tell the ref to shove it! More so if we lost - just imagine!