After seeing all the acrimony splling out on the BBC Lions message board, the new Pope decided to visit NZ to witness the issue first hand.

Whilst there, he decided to take a trip to the beach and the Popemobile was duly driven to the coast.

The Pontiff was horrified to see a swimmer a couple of hundred yards offshore in a Lions shirt being, being savaged by a large Great White shark.

Suddenly a boat rushed to the scene, manned by three large guys in All Black shirts. One of them beat the shark with an oar, while the other two dragged the hapless Lions fan on board. All three turned their attention to the shark, beating it senseless until also dragging it on the boat and finishing it off.

The Pope called them over and said to the lead guy in the boat "My son, I had heard there was bad blood and anagonism between the Lions and ABs fans, but I have just witnessed an act of bravery and compassion that totally refutes this. Bless you all".

With that, the Popemobile sped off.

One of the guys in the boat then says "Hey mate, who the <deleted> was that?"

The lead guy replies "That was the Pope. He is the head of the Roman Catholic Church and God's representative on earth. He is powerful and all knowing."

The first guy then says "He might be god's representative and he might be powerful, but he knows <deleted> all about shark fishing ... is that bait still OK, or do we need to get another one?!"

with those hammering, the LIONS fan [or rather shark bait] will certainly don a new rugby jersey "The All Blue-Blacks". In NZ, a Beer + a girl + rugby = a KIWI