I watched the second half of the game on Saturday between the All Blacks and England. I knew beforehand that the game was being played in Wellington, but I might have figured it out anyway from the roaring noise that occasionally rushed across the microphones. They played in a stadium that didn’t exist when I last lived in Wellington, though I’ve seen it from afar on subsequent trips back.
And the All Blacks lost! Against England what’s more. For the second time in a row, even. Curiouser still, my attitude to this has completely flipped since leaving New Zealand. I always used to hope that the All Blacks would lose. Not only did they go into most matches as favourites, but they were so hyped by the domestic media that I couldn’t resist being contrary. I watched the games avidly, and hoped that some stupendous upset might come about. Sadly it never did. (One early memory I have is of Hugo Porta kicking 21 points against NZ and salvaging a draw for Argentina, and that felt quite a triumph.)
But then I moved to England, and the media there are even worse about their own rugby team. Being away from home, I could allow myself to get all patriotic about the All Blacks. I went to our local pub to see them lose to France in the semi-finals of the last World Cup. I was almost the only NZ supporter there I think. So much for the traditional English dislike of France, and the lack of a common European identity.
I don’t mind the English cricket team so much. The media coverage they get in England is quite different in tone to that of the rugby team. Perhaps this is because English rugby gets annual occasions to beat up the Celtic countries (which they almost never lose to), while the cricketers lose to almost everyone.
So, I think I’ll support Australia against England in the rugby test on Saturday, but the strength of being both such definite underdogs and non-local will probably make me support England against Australia in the next Ashes series.
More than you ever wanted to know about my sporting hang-ups.
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