RESPECT has been thrown around the rugby media this week in the lead up to the Bledisloe Cup Match yesterday between New Zealand and Australia. In the lead up to this game, the All Blacks Assistant Coach Steve Hansen commented on lack of respect the Wallabies have for the ABs. Added to that as we await the Rugby Union World Cup this year, All Black fans were dismayed to learn that England, Wales, Canada and Japan have decided to wear an alternate black strip for this competition. I was amongst them and when I found out that there is a Facebook Group 'Get Our Gear Off' - I couldn't click to join it fast enough.
The Aussie media have commented that there's a difference between arrogance and self confidence and what they are exuding is self confidence. I've lived in Australia for 6 years now. I appreciate their patriotism and their Australia Day celebrations have always impressed me. It is something that we can learn from. The children sing their national anthem at every school assembly. When we were living in Sydney, it was every day before school started, and my children can sing along to all the verses. I went to one school assembly and didn't sing along - and one mother commented how un-Australian it was of me. I thanked her, 'Mate, I'm a Kiwi". But, there is a fine line between arrogance and self confidence and one that the Wallabies got mixed up this week. It's great to believe in yourself, but you don't need to drag others down in the process. Sledging is fine. It works both ways, and the banter can be sharp and even witty. It is commonplace here that a tournament be moved from prime time to no time if the national team has been eliminated. When the Kiwis won the Rugby League World Cup Final in 2008, we didn't even get to see the ceremony because the feed was cut. How you handle yourself in victory, as well as in losses, defines a person as well as their team.
What is the big deal about other countries playing in black you say? At the end of the day, this is a respect thing too. When you think Rugby Union, you think All Blacks. Another team wearing black at the World Cup is like someone other than the bride wearing white to a wedding, going to a Royal Function wearing a "Make Australia a Republic" teeshirt, or how Harry Connick Jr felt about the Hey, Hey It's Saturday skit. It's like 4 day old chinese takeaways - distasteful and leaving you feeling sick to your stomach. No, we don't own the colour black, but it's about what it represents for us. It represents the pride of a small country on this side of the world who are proud of our achievements, despite our distance and head per capita. It represents our haka, a sacred challenge, the players (and their families) who have played before them. In short, it represents us. Welsh Coach Warren Gatland said, "I see going to New Zealand with a black kit as a sign of respect to the All Blacks." The thing about respect is that everyone has their own definition for it - All Blacks fans included. And people like Sean Fitzpatrick or whoever can say what they will, but as an AB supporter - that's the way I feel.
Finally, as an All Black supporter, I'd to thank the Wallabies, the English, Welsh and other teams for reminding me about just how much the jersey means to me, but more importantly how much I love our little country. As for the All Blacks, they delivered their lesson on the field at Eden Park on Saturday night. I'm sure more than the Wallabies were taking notes.
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