LASTweek was a tale of two great All Black hookers. Warren Gatland was under the cosh in New Zealand after his Chiefs side lost again, while Sean Fitzpatrick was the talk of the town in Llanelli after taking up a role on the board of the Scarlets.
In Wales, nobody ever dared to question Gats' suitability for his role in charge of the national side, but it seems the locals in Hamilton are getting a bit uneasy. The Chiefs have been a bit unlucky in a number of matches, not least when Warren's own son, Bryn, got the drop on him to steer the Highlanders to a last-gasp victory, but it is a game of small margins.
I remember him telling me once that if I thought the Welsh fans and media could be vicious, I should see what it can be like in New Zealand. They only love winners in his part of the world!
And that's exactly what the Scarlets have tapped into by appointing Sean Fitzpatrick to their board. Fitzy was a world class player, a magnificent leader and remains a hugely respected figure around the world.
He was a winner on the rugby field and has been highly successful as a businessman off it. The Scarlets will now be able to utilise his full range of skills, and considerable influence, as they prepare for what is going to be a rapidly changing landscape in professional rugby in the northern hemisphere post-Covid-19.
Maybe, just maybe there are signs of the Welsh Regions moving in the right direction off the field after years of heavy losses. The announcement of James Davies-Yandle, and his Yll sports and media group, buying into the Ospreys was the first step in my old region, and now the Scarlets have followed suit with last week's appointment of a new executive chairman, Simon Muderack, and Fitzy
There are going to be some lively discussions in the board rooms when the new season starts!
