It's official - ABs are the best in the world!

Gosh what a nation obsessed! - And what an exciting time for us to be here, the whole country is still celebrating a week on from the final.

Not only did the food change colour (our first BBQ of the season included black rolls - edible charcoal I was assures!) but the Air New Zealand livery changed too!

At Prendos an All Black morning tea was provided on the Friday before the match - for everyone wearing black!

We watched the final live at 5am in the Esplanade Hotel bar which was packed - the atmosphere was more tense than in previous matches, and the audience a bit different as the Auckland marathon was starting from just outside the hotel at 6.10am for the marathon runners and 7.10am for the half marathon runners, so many were in the bar to watch.

Outside where the runners were assembling before dawn a huge screen showed the match too. It was so tense that the organisers found it hard to get the runners to start the race as they all wanted to see that last few minutes of the game! we went out to see the final cup ceremony on the big screen.

Yesterday the heros returned and went straight to a welcome at Victoria Park, where thousands gathered and many schools lined the route despite the rain!

These players been so professional, they have been away from their families for months and must have been so tired after the flight but still gave their fans all their time. The stories of inviting their opposition teams into their dressing room after the matches and Sunny Bill Williams and Milner-Scudder's kindness and generosity are just some examples of how decent these chaps are.

We were both proud to wear black! But roll on the 6 nations and we will be back to Red and Navy!!