Hieronymous the Anonymous: Hurting to win

November 15, 2009

Hurting to win

Two significant sporting contests for Australian teams last night.

In Muscat the Socceroos played Oman in a crucial Asian Cup qualifying match. I haven't seen any of the match, but they had what sounds like a pretty good win. Down to 10 men just 15 minutes into the game, the Australians kicked the winner with 8 minutes to go, after being a goal down early. Job done.

The other contest was the Four Nations Rugby League final between Australia and England in England. I'm a much bigger soccer fan than rugby league, but I'll watch anything Australia is competing in, and the truth is that at the top level it can be a pretty entertaining game.

Australia won, as most pundits would have tipped, but not before they were behind early in the second half. That was the end of the contest though. In the last 25 minutes of the game Australia scored 6 tries to nil, winning ultimately 46-16. A shellacking in other words.

I watched a replay of it this morning. It was hard not to be impressed by the Kangaroos, as the English commentators were. At their best the Australians play league like the Harlem Globetrotters play basketball. They're inventive, athletic and often spectacular. For a game that can seem agricultural at times they exhibit fantastic skill and vision. When it's this good it's fun to watch whether it's your game or not.

As the points mounted in the second half one of the English commentators bemoaned how England didn't deserve the scoreline. It happens sometimes that the final score is out of balance with the on-field action, but it's a rare thing. I disagreed with the commentator. Australia might have been great, but England were pathetic. They deserved every point against them.

If they had swapped jumpers and Australia been on the receiving end of a belting like that I'd be sick to my stomach right no. I can handle losing, I can accept that we won't always be the best team. I can even cop the odd thrashing when the effort has been there. That's what lacked today. Watching it from afar it seemed to me that once Australia started getting on top the English side virtually conceded. Game over.

It's a tough game on every level, and clearly the English were getting tired, but then that's what the contest is all about. It's rising to those challenges and overcoming them - or at least meeting them head-on. I mean, isn't that why we applaud great Olympians and sportsmen? It's not easy after all, you ache, you doubt, you ponder taking the easy way out - but while some will the champions won't. They raise another effort. They ignore their screaming muscles and gasping lungs, they defy the odds against them and just do it. Win or lose they keep going. And when they win it's a great thing to behold - the beauty of sport.

That's what England failed to even consider today. It was poor. It was my team playing them, but I was embarassed for the English supporters. And it seemed to me that the commentators attitude summed up much of the problem. Near enough is good enough - they didn't deserve this. Well, they did, and it's all they'll get until they realise that. To be the best you've got to be prepared to hurt. It's something Australian teams have long been aware of - and something they have relished - and England have yet to learn.

There were telling comments by the commentators. They were clearly in awe of the Australian team. One commenting what a privilege is was to watch as a neutral the sheer ability and class of the Kangaroos in top flight. His counterpart bitterly replied that he was sick of it. He'd had years of it and just when he hoped they might have a team to compete this happens. Another spoke of how dangerous it was to lead the green and gold because you always know they'll come back hard at you.

Why can't English teams fight back as hard? Why be in awe? Respect your opponent sure, be ready to blunt his weapons, but go hard for the win. I'm proud that Australian teams are famous for these qualities, but we don't have a monopoly on them. There is no reason why when the chips are down why our English opponents can't dig as deeply. Except, but rarely, do they.

Victory goes to the most persevering Napoleon once said. Let me add to that. Victory goes to the team more willing to hurt.