The weeks ahead will set the tone for the build-up to the World Cup next year. With some teams surging while others fade, it is a fascinating period.

The All Blacks made just one change to the team that played Wales last night, after their emphatic trouncing of an ill-disciplined Irish side last week, and my immediate reaction was to smile and nod my head appreciatively.

It is a joy to see continuity in selection and while I understand the realities of the modern game necessitate big squads and a degree of rotation, I also know continuity and consistent high performance are natural bedfellows.

Although I suspect Graham Henry will change all that for the next test against the Welsh, there are signs the side is settling. Read more

1) Surfing – Kelly Slater won the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award. Well we had to, didn’t we?

2) Swimming – Michael Phelps broke the 100m butterfly world record in dramatic fashion at the World Swimming Championships in Rome on Saturday. Trailing in 4th postion at the turn, Phelps put in his customary strong last 50m and overtook Serbia’s Milorad Cavic with about 5m to go. Phelps admitted that his outpouring of emotion came from the build-up to the race and his rivalry with Cavic.

3) Formula One - Ferrari’s announcement that Michael Schumacher will replace Felipe Massa Read more

1. Golf – Tom Watson didn’t win The Open Championship but he captured the hearts of millions around the world with an unbelievable performance at the age of 59. If Watson had won it would have been one of the sporting stories of the century, but his bogey at the 18th hole on the final day saw him slip in to playoff with Stewart Cink, which he eventually lost.

2. Cricket - After scraping a draw in Cardiff, the England cricket team managed to post their first win over the Australians at Lords since 1934. Read more