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A New Zealand writer has disputed and scorned the claims of a Sydney, Australia, filmmaker's claim that he had found the final resting place of legendary and iconic Australian aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Sir Charles, or Smithy as Aussies love to call him,was the first pilot to fly the Tasman Sea in both directions in 1928. Seven years later he and his co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge disappeared off the face of the earth while attempting to break the record for a flight btween England and Australia in the historic aeroplane, Lady Southern Cross.

Now 75 years later the Australian filmmaker,Damien Lay claims he has solved the mystery of Australia's lastgreat mystery by allegedly locating the wreckage of the plane off the coast of Burma.

"One of Australia's oldest mystery's and greatest legends. The war hero and adventurer, the world record attempt, and the sudden disappearance, and a number of small clues, hinting and whispering of their tragic end." (Justin Vallejo), March 21, 2009.

He reportedly said that he had found the wreckage under 20 metres ofwater and mud in a bay of tremote Aye Island, after a five day search involving 63 dives and sonar tracking. But is it the Lady Southern Cross?

Not so says New Zealand writer,Ian Mackersey, author of SMITHY: THE LIFE OF SIR KINGSFORD SMITH, who dismissed Mr Lay's claim as outright nonsense.

Mr Mackersey apparentlt quoted two aircraft experts from Australian Defence Ministry Aero nautical Research Laboratory who,in 1992, concluded:" The two occupants bodies would have quite quickly disappeared without trace and so, in those tropical waters, would all the wooden components - followed eventually by the light alloy section which would include quite a bit of the engine."

"All that would remain somewhere probably spread across two hundred yards of the ocean floor, will be the few steel bits of the engine."

Ian Mackersey concluded:"There is no way that the object on the seabed can be Smithy's aeroplane. Alas, the discovery claim is nonsense."

So much for the claim at this point in time. Mr Lay would have to come up with his own expert witnesses to refute Mackersey's denial.

The mighty All Blacks from New Zealand could play a rugby test in Denver, Colorado...

Denver rugby officials could get an international rugby union test in their city if they get the green light.

They have been asked to put up a strong case why they should get a Bledisloe Cup test between the mighty New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies. A precedent was set last year when one of the annual test matches between the two giants of rugby union was played at Hong Kong, and won by the All Blacks, as the two teams were on their way to the UK and Ireland for end of year test matches.

The President of the Metro Denver Sports Commission, KieAnn Brownell led a delegation to the NZRU(New Zealand Rugby Union) two weeks ago to state the city's case why the match should be played there in October this year.

One of the main concerns over the hosting of the test match in Denver, rather than Tokyo, Japan, the other option on the table,was whether enough people would attend a game in Denver, Colorado. After all, rugby union is a foreign game to most Americans, apart from those involved in supporting American teams.

But Brownell said its aim was to sell out the 76,125 seat capacity of the Invesco Field, the home of the Denver Broncos.

To achieve this the Denver rugby organisers would embark on a massive promotional campaign in the months leading up to the test. Their aim would to be to also attract fans and the curious from outside the Denver, Colorado area. The All Blacks and Wallaby players and officials would come over before the test and meet the local media.

They would do a lot of build-up work around what would be the biggest rugby match to have been played in the USA in the last 50 years. Companies from New Zealand and Australia would be invited to become involved with their trade association links.

The New Zealand All Blacks are that country's strongest iconic brand and they would use the opportunity to promote the country as well. The All Blacks were the world's biggest rugby brand as well.

New Zealand will host the next Rugby World Cup; the third biggest sporting occasion behind the Olympics and the Soccer(Football to some) World Cup.

Kieann Brownell said their aim was also to be Rugby City,USA. This game would achieve their aim because of its enormous sporting possibilities.