Headline act

 

From the NZPA

 

Red Faced Phoenix Crash and Burn In Cup

Phoenix adamant they are on track

 

Both with negatively toned intros oozing with scepticism

 

And from the Dominion

Herbert Happy with Defeat

 

And the tone of the article much more positive.

 

It is a telling look on the hacks that follow the sport who are only to keen to jump on a side that has been together less than a week, had half of its squad out and were reduced to 10 men for a good proportion of the second half.

 

Did NZPA have a man there, I doubt it. Just keep an eye on it fellas, there are forces within the media who are, shall we say, a little malignant.