How different the two hemispheres. It wasn't the conditions, because it was nighttime down there, and the floodlights were on, when the Super 12 final took place. And although it was daytime here, the lights also were on, thanks to the roof being closed at the Millennium Stadium.

The difference was in the calm, efficient, almost emotionless way in which Canterbury Crusaders started on their way to victory against the ACT Brumbies. The ball was immediately moved into contact and recycled - rather than being consigned to the boot. No pass was dropped. No one got overexcited.

Here Dominic Crotty failed to come forward to take Leicester's hoisted ball. Tim Stimpson missed a very kickable penalty - as well as a pretty simple conversion a bit later. Even the officials fouled up, when a crossfield kick by Ronan O'Gara was ruled, wrongly, to have bounced before crossing the touchline.

But the biggest difference was in the position where the game is supposed to be controlled. Down Under, Andrew Mehrtens for Canterbury turned in a fly-half performance that hugely amplified his claim to be the world's top player in that position. With a wonderful lightness of touch and confidence in his running and passing, plus his unfailing boot, it was an impeccable display. ACT were skewered by a team undefeated throughout their 13 games.

Oh for such control in Cardiff. Early on, Austin Healey missed a clearance to touch that he had to hurriedly swipe at. And he had an uncomfortable moment when a looped pass cut down his options, causing him to confront two Munstermen and emerge the worse for wear.

Often one wonders why Dean Richards, a no-nonsense player and a coach with the image of being an ultra-conservative, is risking in the key position a player who can dazzle almost anywhere in the backline but does not guarantee the out-and-out reliability associated with fly-half. Against Llanelli in the semi- final, Healey looked flaky, and Munster fancied unsettling him.

To be fair, he is a different type of fly-half. He lies rather deep and adopts his own version of American quarterback play - little steps and shovelled short passes. Perhaps that can lull opponents.

And what of O'Gara? Like Healey, he did not come particularly well out of the Lions tour, though for different rea sons. O'Gara was visible only when he became a punchbag for New South Wales's Duncan McRae. He lost ground as Jonny Wilkinson commandeered the No 10 jersey, and returned acknowledging what he had to do to reach Wilkinson's level.

But he seemed to lose more ground when the Ireland jersey went to David Humphries. In a young-looking fly-half, is a kind of choirboy blush deceptive? He has added some badly-needed weight, but whether he he will ever be the strong young man that Wilkinson is remains a key question. The dominant image remained the one at the end of the 2000 final, with O'Gara - having missed the very kickable penalty that would have won it - in tears as he stood arm-in-arm with Mick Galwey.

Yesterday he did the orthodox things well enough. He made one or two thumping clearances, and produces a number of slide-rule prodded kicks to touch inside the Leicester 22. He also stood flatter than Healey as he tried to work his fellow backs through the Leicester defence. But in the end it was to be 2000 all over again for him.

First, Healey made his first step in the 54th minute, stepping rather easily inside O'Gara. That was the prelude to the moment when the paths of the two fly-halfs converged dramatically. Receiving from a lineout, Healey was for once lying a little flatter, reducing the defenders' time. A couple of runners either side of him threatened to take a short pass, and Healey hinted to deliver. But he didn't. This time he went outside O'Gara, who slide weakly from him to the ground. It was a bad miss.

Sadly, the Munster fly-half followed that by missing a penalty. Then he kicked the ball straight out, and then missed another penalty. By contrast, Healey finished with a clearance from within his goal line that he embellished with a dummy step, twisting like a matador to wrong foot the men in red. Rugby can be great in the No 10 jersey. Or miserable.