At the risk of sounding insensitive - get over it.

I am sure millions of All Black fans will agree with me on one very simple but agonising truth. I've had to get over it myself, because life goes on ('it's just a game' is my most effective mantra). I have had no psychologist counsel me through the hurt. I've not fallen back on my million-dollar contract and gone to my villa in the Bahamas.  But beyond anything else, I can only trust that in nearly three months time that my provincial team, the Wellington Hurricanes, and eventually the All Blacks will fire to erase some of the past (again).

Don't get me wrong. I like this team (I just can't bring myself to say the other L word).  But being an All Black supporter is taxing, more because I have fallen to the commercial concept that is the World Cup. Lions grand slams, Super 14 titles, Tri-Nations, Bledisloes, these do mean something - but ultimately like any other major sporting code, you are judged by the usually four-year cycle that dictates the World Cup.

'Now, with nearly four years to get their act together, it is rumoured that the Eden Park redevelopment for the 2011 World Cup is already $40m-60mNZD over budget'


But I (admittedly with the help of a few beers in my system) watched this good team have the game on the platter against an average Les Bleus to ultimately fumble themselves out of the World Cup.  When I heard Richie McCaw state: "At least we played good rugby", and then Graham Henry say: "Well, that's sport isn't it'', I nearly threw my 28 empty pint glasses at the big screen.

Now, over six weeks since the All Blacks' failure, they are now given an extra six weeks holiday, roughly through to the end of the year.  Congratulations, you've lost the World Cup, we won't change the policy in place that was expecting you to be champions - and now we will continue to insult both the rugby public and all other top-level New Zealand players by giving you more rest despite your "golden parachutes".  I know from personal experience that life's problems are best dealt with by staring them in the face. By that I mean get back on the pitch with a determination to be a winner again. 

Do the players have any say in this whatsoever?

It was revealed recently that Jerry Collins was the 18th most used player in the 30-man World Cup squad. I personally rate Collins as arguably the most influential All Black, easily equal with McCaw and Dan Carter. He played rugby recently for Barnstaple - a well known rugby team! And he has now revealed that when he pulls on the famous black and white of the Barbarians, that he will wear their club socks, not those of his Wellington-based club. That sounds like a back hand by the big man to the NZRU.

Doug Howlett, New Zealand's form winger of 2007, who should have been an automatic selection for the starting XV (but wasn't even in the 22) was "sanctioned" by the NZRU for his recent involvement in an incident where he trashed a couple of cars in Heathrow Airport - where English police laid no charges. But why won't the NZRU not release the details of this? Despite Howlett's illustrious record as the All Blacks' all-time leading try scorer, he brought the game into disrepute. Should we not be told of the details of how he was disciplined?

Despite executing a lengthy review on Graham Henry and his lieutenants - for the second consecutive World Cup - the NZRU announced that the coaching position was "open".  No strong action, no "we are the law"-style boardroom lash.  Like John Mitchell before him, Henry will now likely be replaced by Robbie Deans, despite having strong public support. John Hart, for all of his faults in the 1999 campaign, saw the writing on the wall and resigned with some measure of dignity after his side's loss to France.

Now, with nearly four years to get their act together, it is rumoured that the Eden Park redevelopment for the 2011 World Cup is already $40m-60m NZD over budget, before a contractor has even been assigned. No doubt with these latest developments the canny John O'Neill is secretly preparing a covert bid as a precaution, a la the 2003 World Cup - when New Zealand where supposed to be joint hosts.

And Warren Gatland? That was a huge loss to rugby, without even a private acknowledgement to the man that he was in the pecking order and was denied a Super 14 coaching position. As well as the exodus of some of the finest All Blacks to Europe, if Deans becomes coach of the Wallabies the whole world will laugh at our proud nation.

Before the World Cup with their all-powerful team and the coup in winning the rights to the 2011 World Cup - New Zealand rugby seemed at all-time high.  It's stunning and sad that things can turn for the worse so fast.

I hope for their sake, for mine, and millions of others that it will get better. But as always, this normally starts and ends with the players on the park.