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I make no apology this week for not starting with Test rugby and autumn internationals.

What a night in Limerick. Other commitments restricted me to a television viewing but the magnificent contest between Munster and New Zealand, with both sides fielding weakened but passionate teams, was the finest opening for Thomond Park.

The joy and thrill of it all filtered back over to England by text message. My phone was beeping with excitement all evening. I had an illustrious informant in Alan English, editor of the Limerick Leader and author of the glorious Stand Up and Fight, the story of Munster's win over New Zealand in 1978 and one of the best five books ever published on rugby.

Apparently, New Zealand players were seen around the city before the game. And from what I hear, they enjoyed themselves. Let's not be too heady, because I would be amazed if the fixture had nothing to do with Ireland's vote for New Zealand's 2011 World Cup bid and no doubt some of the player appearances were paid for.

But let us praise New Zealand for entering into the spirit and for taking the match on. Let us praise the stadium and the mighty Munster effort, the three-man haka by the three Munster Kiwis and the respect shown by New Zealand for the traditions of this grand provincial giant.

And for goodness sake, let us praise what it was: a tour match! A ruddy tour match! The All Blacks, God bless them, forsook the normal giant hotel in the capital city - the base for all these teams (from both hemispheres) who make hit-and-run trips to play single Tests and have no contact with the country or its people, and who sit pompously behind security men wearing their posh branded kit waiting to train while wasting their visits.

They took their aura and their passion somewhere else, they met people and they showed the jersey. They played a match that was hell-for-leather, that meant nothing in the IRB world rankings but everything in the hearts of the players and the fans.

More please! Let's have tour games in Redruth, Gala, Greymouth, Invercargill, Witbank and Cairns. Well done the fixture arrangers, well done Munster and well done New Zealand. I am proud that the Lions will be leaving Johannesburg to play in the various cities of South Africa next June.

Let's hope it all starts a trend. Let's take rugby back to the people. The old sport is never as exciting as when it is on the road.

Alastair Baxter - a clarification

It has come to my attention that some people may have misinterpreted my views on that magnificent prop, Al "The Terminator" Baxter of Australia, and may feel in some way that I have been underrating the reputation of this leviathan.