The Trade Minister is being called a "seer", for a correct prediction of the second and third test matches against the British and Irish Lions.
Todd McClay sent a text message to British High Commissioner Jonathan Sinclair shortly after the first test at Eden Park, which the All Blacks won 30-15.
He wrote "Lions will win the next and the third will be a draw."
Proof that @toddmcclaymp is a seer#LionsNZ2017 #NZLvBIL @sumostevenson pic.twitter.com/WMxuR5Mgoj
— Jonathan Sinclair (@JWRSinclair) July 8, 2017
As it happened, the Lions won the second test match at Wellington's Westpac Stadium 24-21, and the final match on Saturday was a 15-all draw.
Mr McClay says he worries he's got himself into a bit of trouble with this one.
"I'd like to say it's my many years of excellence around predicting rugby games, but probably I was being a bit diplomatic," he said.
"We're after a trade deal with Britain as soon as we can, so I thought to be a bit magnanimous and suggest that they'd win a game and it'd be a draw at the end... and everyone would go home happy."
And when it comes time to negotiate that deal, Mr McClay said having the UK Government thinking he was a seer could work in New Zealand's favour.
"If he [Mr Sinclair] wants to go back and say to the UK Government that the New Zealand Trade Minister has insight into what's happening in the future, and they need to be very careful about their trade negotiations with us, I think we should get him to do that! But no, probably more luck than anything."
He admits that deep down, he was of the assumption the All Blacks could take all three.
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