Billy Border Collie here, and what a weekend it’s been. Boss got back from the Field Days looking a bit ragged around the edges, even though he had his skoolteacher girldfriend ta keep an eye on him ina beer tent.

But when we caught up, going round tha stock, he was tellin’ me how the footy season’s gettin’ underway again.

“It’s seems it’s just finished, now it’s started again Dog. We’ll have a few sessions with the wide-screen TV ina woolshed eh?” But the Boss started wonderin’ if we wuz getting too much footy.

“Y’know Dog, the bloody World Cup is over a year away and the pundits is already predictin’ who’s gonna win.

“The paper says it’s dunna poll and people all reckin’ the AB’s is gonna win on home turf.

They reckin they asked 600 people an’ 59 per cent picked the home side to win the final at Eden Park next year.

“Well that’s blimmin’ scientific, eh Dog? Ya might as well of flipped a blimmin’ coin to get that sorta result. Flip a coin an’ yer gonna get it half right. Now the paper reckin’s people pick South Africa ta come second. Bet if they asked 600 people in South Africa the result’d be 600 sayin’ the Bok’s will win the cup.

“The paper even bothered to try and make it sound like it knew wot it was sayin’ by talkin’ to a social psychologist bloke who sez half the Kiwis predictin’ an AB’s win showed a mixture of patriotism and a belief in the home ground advantage.

“Well, I’ll be blowed eh Dog. Who’da thought of that? He must gone ta university and all ter come up with that considered opinion.

“Anyway, lookit the time, Dog, it’s almost 7.30. Crusaders-Sharks game. Race ya ta the woolshed.”

The Boss won. I just walked. Lota footy to come eh?.

See ya at the game. Billy