It summed up the pre-match pessimism perfectly but honoured one for whom a call-up was not feared but relished as the zenith of his career.
Sinfield is now a rugby union player with Yorkshire Carnegie, but his efforts in captaining Leeds Rhinos to the treble in 2015 have been honoured one last time with a nomination to the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year, which will be awarded in Belfast on Sunday evening.
There was also good news for Welsh rhythmic gymnast Frankie Jones, who received the David Dixon award honouring one competitor's contribution based on their performance, fair play and contribution to their team.
Devotion to the Blessed Mother Of God, can save numerous souls on Judgement Day, because God will honour His Own Commandment(to honour one's own parents).
"This isn't really about honouring one man.
He would honour one of Chan's "last wishes", he said, and grudgingly let his son Kai follow Chan's team, the Penrith Panthers.
While Time magazine's fêted title honours one who has done the most to influence a year, I want to honour the person who comprehensively captures – in a useful way – an issue that has dominated it.
Rewrite, class, without the flab, and this time - since we're supposed to be honouring one of the vital presences of our literature - try to put some life in it.
Change is in the air all round in this special: the bulk of it takes place outside the house, as the Brockmans hit the road to honour one of recently deceased Grandad's final wishes.
Given the pressure that legal aid lawyers are under, the decision of the LAPG committee to resist the temptation to mark the tenth anniversary by honouring one of their own – an exceptional lawyer – and honour an exceptional client instead was as generous as it was fitting.
