The dust has (mercifully) settled on a phenomenal 2011 Rugby World Cup, but two major questions remain unanswered.
The first - who will be the new coach? - will be addressed elsewhere in this column.
The other - just who will be awarded what gongs in the next major honours? - might as well be settled right now.
There has been some talk that coach Graham Henry and captain Richie McCaw are in line for knighthoods.
They are the obvious pair to be singled out - though surely Stephen Donald has earned the keys to all our cities - but I would argue it is appropriate to recognise only one with the ultimate honour next year.
You won't find a bigger McCaw fan than I. You certainly won't find someone who mentions he was born in my hometown, Oamaru - yes, Oamaru, fancy that - more often.
But McCaw's career is not yet complete. He may already, arguably, be one of our greatest three or four All Blacks, but there are more caps to be earned, more great moments left.
I can think of only one New Zealand sportsperson to be knighted while in action, and that was Richard Hadlee. Even he was in his last days as a player, and he was (is) our greatest cricketer, followed by daylight.
Other rugby players - Wilson Whineray, Brian Lochore and even Colin Meads - have become Sirs but later in their lives, and not just for performances on the field.
If McCaw gets an immediate knighthood, it will set a precedent. What if prop Owen Franks captains the All Blacks to World Cup glory in 2015? Instant knighthood? Remember, David Kirk is not Sir David, and he captained the first All Black team to win the cup.
It will be Sir Richard Hugh McCaw, eventually. Just not yet.
• ... Sir Ted
But Sir Graham Henry?
Yes. An unequivocal yes.
I thought Henry made a spectacular mess of the 2007 World Cup campaign, and I did not think at the time he should have been re-appointed.
But I was wrong. Many of us were.
Henry has done a superb job over eight remarkable years.
He has maintained an unprecedented rate of success, developed some outstanding players and, most importantly, won our first World Cup since 1987.
His contribution to the sport that can still grip our nation like no other must be recognised. Get the sword out, Mr Mateparae.
• No need for interviews
Everything has to be done by the book these days but there is a case for the New Zealand Rugby Union to name Henry's replacement as All Black coach straight away.
Longtime assistant Steve Hansen wants the job and he should simply be given it.
Hansen has a proven record and he knows the players. There is no other top contender for the job. Case closed.
• From 1999 ...
There is plenty of excitement about the Highlanders next year, and rightfully so.
An exceptional coach, a beautiful stadium, nine All Blacks, tough tight forwards, exciting loosies, talented backs, pace, and a proper blue-gold-maroon jersey.
What's not to like?The playing roster looks, to me, potentially the strongest the Highlanders have had in a decade. Credit has to be given to Jamie Joseph and Jamie Mackintosh and Roger Clark for building a team players want to join.
• ... to 2012
As an interesting exercise, let's compare the 2012 Highlanders to the 1999 Highlanders, who hosted the old Super 12 final and probably have to be considered the franchise's greatest team.
A first-choice 2012 team is shaping as Ben Smith, Hosea Gear, Tamati Ellison, Shaun Treeby, Kade Poki, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Nasi Manu, John Hardie, Adam Thomson, Jarrad Hoeata, Josh Bekhuis, Chris King, Andrew Hore and Jamie Mackintosh.
The best 1999 XV was Jeff Wilson, Brendan Laney, Jeremy Stanley, Pita Alatini, Brian Lima, Tony Brown, Byron Kelleher, Isitolo Maka, Josh Kronfeld, Taine Randell, John Blaikie, Brendon Timmins, Kees Meeuws, Anton Oliver and Carl Hoeft.
My combined XV would have eight from 1999 and seven from 2012.-Wilson, Gear, Stanley, Alatini, Poki, Brown, Kelleher, Manu, Kronfeld, Thomson, Hoeata, Bekhuis, Meeuws, Oliver, Mackintosh.
• Blowing hard
Bravo, Paddy O'Brien.
The international rugby referees' boss gave the media a good slapping when he spoke to Queenstown reporter Tracey Roxburgh last week.
Reporters were "lazy" because they did not write what people actually said, thundered the former top whistleblower.
Fair enough, Paddy. Though in our defence, we couldn't possibly write what people actually say about the following referees.-
Alain Rolland.
Stuart Dickinson.
Nigel Owens.
Bryce Lawrence.
Chris Pollock.
Steve Walsh.
Wayne Barnes.
Chris White.
Colin Hawke.
• The final countdown
Our 150 Greatest Moments in Otago Sport series is nearing the end.
No 150 - Dunedin Technical winning the Chatham Cup in 1999 - appeared all the way back on May 23, and No 1 - wait and see - will be published next Saturday.
It's been a labour of love and it is a project of which we are extremely proud.
• Giveaway
The Last Word has an action sports DVD going free to a good home.
The Art of Flight is a two-disc special based on the adventures of snowboarder Travis Rice and friends.
To be in the draw, email your name and a contact number to the address below by Sunday 2pm.
