Months of feverish anticipation was quelled somewhat as the 2015 Rugby World Cup kicked off its first match the other day.

Yeah, and Japan won.

What? No no, it still has six or seven weeks to play out.

Yeah, but Japan still won.

Oh, yes, Japan did win, their match.

Yeah, they beat the South Africans.

That is correct, they did, and while that was a decidedly unexpected outcome, you can guarantee there’ll be many more of those to come.

So, that means you’re out of the running then.

Out of the running..?

Yeah, for that One Punt at a Million thing you were doing.

Ah, yes, although in fairness, I think just about every Kiwi who took part in that competition would have been capsized by that particular rogue wave.

Yeah, I thought South Africa were supposed to be good..?

They are supposed to be good, which is why I believe that of all the New Zealand participants who had a go at predicting the winning team and margin for all 48 World Cup matches in the hope of winning the one million dollar prize pool, I can’t imagine that hope will still be alive for many, if any at all.

Yeah, who would’ve picked Japan?

That’s my point – bet the TAB is loving it.

But I didn’t think those guys were allowed to bet..?

No, I mean the fact that the TAB will have collected the stake from, I imagine, most every bet made on that game.

Yeah, who would’ve picked Japan?

That’s right – additionally, regarding their One Punt at a Million game, they’d be loving the fact that most every punter has already failed, even before the end of the first round.

Yeah, who wo –

Who would’ve picked Japan, yes, thank you, I don’t think anyone would have.

Lots more games to come though…

Yes, and plenty more upsets to be had, I bet.

Who did you pick to win, anyway?

Springboks/Japan? Naturally, I picked the Springboks, by 13 or over.

So you got it really wrong then.

With the TAB, wrong is wrong – there are generally no consolation prizes.

What about at the end, who’d you pick to win there?

The final..?

Yeah, the big one, who’d ya pick?

Oh … I don’t think anyone would really want to hear that…

What, why not?

You see, it wasn’t what one might consider a patriotic bet – it was based more on the likelihood of an upset win.

Hey we just had one of those, you might get it yet.

Ah, no, I didn’t pick any upsets so early in the competition – I’m already out.

Oh, so who’d ya pick at the end then?

It doesn’t matter anymore, my competition’s over.

Nah, say…

There’s no point.

Oh my God, you picked Australia, didn’t you?

No, I did not pick Australia … Even if I thought they might win – which I don’t – I would not have picked Australia.

So who?

It doesn’t matter anymore.

Come on, just tell..?

Perhaps in six or seven weeks.