Well, ok, that isn't true all the time, but it is true a lot of the time. Why is rugby, a relatively obscure sport, held in such high esteem by some countries, particularly in the southern hemisphere? In New Zealand, the All Blacks kind of set the bar for all other sports played pretty much across the spectrum which tend to inherit the "Blacks" part of the name. We have the Black Caps cricket team, the Tall Blacks basketball team, the Black Sticks hockey team, and, well, you get the idea. If the Blacks can beat South Africa, I'd say they're a shoe-in for the World Cup, but I could just be getting all patriotic (yes I'm from EnZed myself). Is it because rugby is an international sport, unlike say, American football?
Rugby Union is a near religion in New Zealand, simple as that. And us Aussies believe in giving our little Brother some cause for hope on occasions. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Only joking. RU in Australia ranked well behind Rugby League and Soccer out of the Winter football codes, and really only gained some ascendancy since the Super league wars, although it still ranks behind League. Both codes also are only played in two states of Australia, NSW and Q'Land, with Australian Rules ruling the roost in Victoria, SA and WA. All jokes aside, I agree that NZ should win the world cup in an all Southern Hemisphere final against the Wallabies. Our team on its day could win, but they just don't appear at this time to have the consistency of the Kiwis.
On the American code Grid iron, what can I say. I'll probably lose a few friends here [Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!] but really the stop/start nature of Grid Iron, does not compare with the speed as well as the big hits in RL and/or RU.
We needed a place to put the kangaroos. Seriously - how else would you manage those things? Also, our wives wanted Tahiti a long way away.
Maybe it's the haka that gives the Blacks the edge. Although most opposing teams try to look nonplussed, it probably makes them feel a bit uncomfortable. It is after all a war dance.
It's their size and the fact that it is the national sport in NZ. So they probably get more funding and support. Although size wise, most pale in comparison to Tonga and Fiji.. I think every team that plays those two teams worry about injuries.. The uncomfortable looks on faces when Tonga does their Sipi Tau (their war dance) is probably one of fear.
Yes, a lot of truth in that. Also in Fiji and Tonga, like NZ, it is near a religion. If Fiji and Tonga had the support, infrastructure and money that Oz and NZ spends, and even considering their small populations, they would be near world beaters. Many Sydney RL scouts are now poaching the more outstanding players in both Fiji and Tonga for the NRL competition. Off the top of my head [without any figures] I believe its safe to say that every one of the 16 NRL RL sides has at least one Islander in their side. I've seen near entire villages in Fiji rebuilt, and modernised by Fijians who have made the grade in the NRL competition, and the payments they receive.
There is an optical illusion of slowness in the US game, because the sides on TV are evenly matched in quickness. Likewise the hits - they look tame, inconsequential, surrounded by so many just like them, because they are over quickly. There is no more violent team sport. There probably can't be - the injury rate is already bidding to wreck the game. No haka, no good fight songs, no real culture. Complex, engineered, bimbo framed violence, and continual committee meetings to organize it. America's sport, indeed.
Here is a vid of the Tongans v New Zealand match beginning, both perform ritual war dances. What you see right at the end is recognition on at least one Tongan player's face. (Note, it's not from the current World Cup.) It's about what Maori call mana--if your opponent performs an impressive haka, you give them respect. Europeans just don't get it.
Well, the Blacks nearly didn't beat the Boks. I thought NZ might just give it away on penalties. I also thought the referee didn't do as good a job as he should have, it being the World Cup. But now the All blacks will play either Argentina or Australia. I don't think anyone is seriously considering that Argentina will beat the Aussies, but as they say, it's a game of two halves. Half of me is wanting the Argies to beat the Wallabies, the other half isn't so sure.
It is with heavy heart [Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!] that I must inform you that the Wallabies won that game this morning, 4 tries to none: Score: 29:15 Still in my opinion, maybe not quite good enough to beat the All Blacks next week.
HA, I missed it because I was catching up on the sleep I lost in the earlies of the day before! Such irony. And something is trying to encourage me to try a haka, perhaps A toia mai (its about hauling a canoe up out of the water to safety).
I do not know why all blacks are the best rugby players in the world. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
