Had we somehow managed to negotiate our way through the quarter final , it would have been seen as a gutsy victory that set us up very nicely for the last two games. Our lineout, previously the achilles heel of the side miraculously transformed into a strength, the scrum solid, the work at the break down competent, mental fortitude shown etc etc.

Of course we didn't successfully negotiate the challenge and the thing that nags at me is that, notwithstanding the poor quality of the officiating and the bad luck with injuries is that we should still have won the game ( or at least have given ourselves a better chance to win it) had we spent the last 10 minutes trying to set up quick ruck ball in the centre of the field to give our kicker the bast chance at a drop goal. We only needed 3 points so why we insisted on repeated pick'n'goes in one corner of the field, especially given the fact the ginga lawyer pommie ref wasn't going to give us a penalty is a bit of a mystery.

It's been a fantastic side that has played some insanely brilliant rugby, its just so sad that when it really mattered we couldn't summon any brilliance or, alternatively, just buckle down and go for the ugly win.

ps in a fit of masochism I just read Stephen Jones's article in the Times on the game. What a horrendously mean spirited and inelegant piece of writing. To say it was an abysmal performance simply isn't right and,as well as putting the boot gratuitously into us, also damns the French with faint praise given how well they played.

Well the Wii certainly looks cool, i guess my only concern is how long the love lasts. Are those of you who were in early with purchasing a Wii still playing Wii Sports today?

If that gentle zephyr on Friday was enough to throw out the sound then I can only imagine what a Big Day Out in Wellington would be like... I had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed Minuit, Voom, That One Guy, Hot Chip, Lily Allen, Kasabian, the Killers, Muse and the Streets.

It's great value, especially when you consider the dubious pleasure of watching Snow Patrol in West Auckland will set you back over $80. I was about 10 rows into the Killers mosh pit and i thought the sound was fine and the one -two punch of When We Were Young and Somebody Told Me was truly moshtastic. The highlight of the day though was in the middle of Hot Chip's set where they incorporated bits of New Order's "Temptation" into No Fit State....sigh.