Advent 11

Don't get me wrong, I like the countryside but I'm a city boy at heart. Wellington NZ struck me as one of the world's most liveable cities - a horrible phrase but one that works. In fact it feels more like a bloody big village than a city - after all its population is less than half that of my beloved Birmingham.

JRS and I were there for the glaringly unsuccessful 2005 Lions tour. We enjoyed one particularly glorious day that started with a long walk to Poneke Rugby Club before taxiing back into town for the evening test match at the Westpac Stadium where we were privileged (and I really do mean that) to witness Dan Carter's masterclass - (I know I've said this before but that doesn't make it any less true) the single greatest game of rugby football ever played by one person.