I like New Zealanders. They’re one of my favourite race of peoples. A large part of that is our close proximity. Here we both are in the bottom half of the world, settled by Caucasian stock and sharing a common culture in an Asian sea. We’re just over the ‘ditch’ from each other, as they say, like two brothers, a big brother and a little brother, family so that we share many of the same traits, and like families not above the odd tiff. There’s mutual trust there, a natural kinship, and maybe a backhanded affection. I know if I had to have anyone other than an Aussie then I’d like a Kiwi batting for me, because I know they’re all in.
I find much to understand in Kiwi’s. We’re not the same but there is enough shared for us to probably to believe we are more the same as each other than we are with anyone else in the world. There are plenty of Kiwi’s in Oz, and most are here to stay, and I have a good number of them as friends. Occasionally that means there is some friendly abuse, like with brothers. When the All Blacks got knocked out of the World Cup last year the usual choking jokes went around. Kiwi’s love to have a crack at Aussies, to our general indifference. Earlier this year I attended the birthday of a Kiwi mate of mine. In the crowd were probably half a dozen other Kiwi blokes, and later, when all were pretty well lubricated, we were treated to an impromptu haka. Being Aussies my mates and I faced them, and responded with the token and totally inadequate “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi…”
The relationship brings with it a deal of rivalry – particularly from the New Zealand side – which is mostly friendly, and sometimes not. I believe there is nothing the average Kiwi likes more than knocking an Aussie off his perch. To defeat, or get the better of, Australia in a sporting contest is pretty much the ultimate I think. By and large that doesn’t happen. Australia is a powerful sporting nation. Of the sports we commonly play Australia pretty well dominates, not just New Zealand, but often the whole world. The one exception is Rugby Union.
Now Australia has a fair record in Union. It’s about 6th or 7th sport here I reckon, but is pretty keenly followed. We’ve got a good record against pretty well every other competing nation, but behind South Africa and New Zealand where it is the national sport cum religion. They’ve been the truly dominant nations, with the All Blacks being very proudly number one.
Unfortunately that ongoing dominance has not translated as it should into international success. The RU World Cup started in 1987, and the All Blacks, to nobodies surprise, won the inaugural event – and not won another since. Pretty well in every World Cup since New Zealand have started favourites or equal favourites, and pretty well in every event have unexpectedly stumbled before claiming the prize. By contrast Australia, a team that is always reliable and sometimes brilliant, has won twice and been runner up another time, and have a history of defying the odds. That sticks in the New Zealand craw.
I think we are the team they love to beat most, and the team they are most wary of. There have been some classic games between the teams, tough, rugged, drawn out affairs. Over the past 10 years the All Blacks have probably won 3 out of 5, but some of the games they have lost have been on the back of pivotal moments, great tackles and unexpected individual efforts. Australian teams always hang tough, and so are often in position to snatch victory from defeat. That’s happened a bit.
To add to the current rivalry Australia have, for the first time, a non-Australian coach – and a Kiwi to boot. Robbie Deans is a New Zealand rugby legend, and a God in some quarters. He is also one of the best and most successful rugby coaches in the world. For him to now be coaching Australia is like Warnie bowling for England.
Robbie Deans has been in the chair for 5 internationals. So far he has overseen 5 wins for the Wallabies. On Saturday night he coached his first game against his home country, as underdog. I went to the pub to watch this game with some friends. Around the dining room were sprinkled Aussie supporters in the gold Wallaby jersey, and a few Kiwi’s wearing the black of New Zealand. As it turns out it was a classic game. The crowd was vocal, Aussies and Kiwis both, until the Australian team got the upper hand after being headed in the second half, and then pulling away convincingly. It was very satisfying to watch.
This Saturday the return match is in Auckland, where Australia haven’t won for 20 years. It will be a stiff challenge to win against an All Black team itching for vengeance and before a crowd of baying and fanatical Kiwi supporters. This is what great sport is made of, and great rivalries. Man, I’ll be giving my Kiwi mates a gee up before the match, and expect I’ll get it all back and more if and when the All Blacks win.
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