I’d give my right nut to have this year over again – preferably not like Warrington prop Paul Wood though.

Sure, every year’s a cracker in sport, but this one was taking-the-piss-level greedy, especially for my first year in the UK.

The Euros were heaven for a lifetime southern hemisphere-dweller – blanket coverage, decent punditry (mostly), educated ‘debate’ at every turn (pub) and a brilliant tournament.

I knew England was harsh on its national team, but didn’t know half of it. Now I know where Aussies get it.

Sublime Spain, the Danes upsetting the Dutch, the Italians getting flogged 4-0 in the final (I’m still bitter about 2006), on at a sensible hour – it was a treat.

The fanfare over Black Caviar’s arrival was a phenomenon. For a couple of weeks it was “Frankel who?” The Aussie extended her unbeaten run to 22 races at Royal Ascot.

When she did, it was her closest race ever, holding on after pulling the equine equivalent of a hammy.

I could have watched the bloke she’ll now never face, Frankel, on TV in Oz, but the majesty given the royal-trained stallion now making a mint getting his rocks off was unrepeatable.

Will it be his last race? It was. We saw it! Special.After getting past inevitable questions many would be familiar with, such as “Why are you here when it’s so sunny back there?” and “How are you handling the weather?” – seriously, Poms talk about the weather a lot – the next query is on a more important topic, the 2013 Ashes.

I’ve seen cricket at every level this year, from having some of the most fun of my life playing games on village greens in between eating cake and sambos – well played Matfield Green – to taking the permitted two pints into Lords for county games to England being toppled from the top.

And I’ve not even addressed the epic EPL (in the daytime!) or the lower quality to the NRL, but fast and fun to watch Super League yet.

Then the Olympics – Jacques Rogue didn’t have the balls to say, “The best ever”, like Juan Antonio did in Syd-en-ney, but it would have been OK if he did.

Australia did well in 2000, but Team GB dominated. I’ll won’t forget that buzz, until the next thing trumps it.

» Agree or disagree? What was your sporting highlight of 2012? letters@tntmagazine.com

 

Tossers: more cash than sense

After a week of outrage over the throwing of coins at football grounds, and justifiably so, since Rio Ferdinand was clocked near the eye in Manchester it seems only fair to add our own two cents. 

If you throw a missile at a player or fellow fan at a football ground you are a sad, pathetic and cowardly oxygen thief who belongs in jail away from those who know how to play nicely.

You’re also ruining it for everyone else.British fans are brilliant. I genuinely believe the atmosphere that comes through the TV to all corners of the globe is a big part of why the Premier League is so popular.

But there are always dickheads who ruin it for those doing the right thing. 

Sing songs, chant, use humour to ridicule the opponents mothers if you really have to, but don’t be racist, sexist, homophobic and seriously, stop throwing all that money. If you don’t want it, I’ll…

 

Photo: Getty