Travel

Aussie vs Kiwi

Travel

Posted by: auksiron2

4th Feb 2011 05:39pm

I find it astounding that the Australian sports person and general public seem to get hyped everytime they come up against any Kiwi sports team/person.
Why does the average aussie do that?
When you make a comparison to population and size australia you far outweigh the kiwi's. Please someone enlighten me why Australia feels the need to compete in most levels of sports to a country that's not even 1/2 the population and size of oz.
Hmmmm...methinks it's beause at the end of the day kiwis are superior sports people. And forever we remain sooooo


Comments 25

Anonymous
  • 1st Apr 2013 03:06pm

well I think it could have something to do with how Australians overexurate every thing and were so secluded from very won that we don't have much to go on.

amar93
  • 18th Jul 2012 09:47pm

its our only real competition in our region :)

suem007
  • 26th Apr 2012 05:31pm

This rivalry reminds me of the rivalry India and Pakistan share over cricket..a passion in both countries. It gets people even more excited when the two play against each other. I guess shared history does play a part.

amar93
  • 18th Jul 2012 09:50pm
This rivalry reminds me of the rivalry India and Pakistan share over cricket..a passion in both countries. It gets people even more excited when the two play against each other. I guess shared...

definitely

Sammbo
  • 3rd Jun 2011 02:16pm

It's health rivalry.
Just like Melbourne versus Sydney, Rangers versus Celtic and the rest of the AFL against Collingwood.

But then again, we don't care who beats England!

Neens
  • 26th Apr 2011 02:03pm

Fair comment Bryan. I think we Kiwi's frequently punch above our weight and let's remember that we are only a quarter of the size in population of Australia and have much more limited financial resources. When you look at how many medals we get at the Olympics and compare it to per capita we do very well. We also have a reputation as being a competitive sporting nation and I've lived in the UK and they know us for our rugby and to a lesser extent cricketing prowess.

GaryK
  • 17th Mar 2011 05:48am

I think that trans Tasman rivalry is healthy and helps us bond together in times of need as has been the case in the last 6 months.

Anonymous
  • 23rd Feb 2011 03:22pm

The aussies and kiwis are hyped up as you put it equally with sporting contests against each other. This is likely due to all other nations in most of the international sports we play being no where near our lands down under. So with this we have a healthy competitive rivalry with the only neighbour we have to compete against in most leading international sports. Such as cricket, union, league, soccer, basket ball and so on. I'm an AFL club fan/member, where to a smaller scale the same rivalry occurs in games between close by neighbours eg. Westcoast/Dockers & Crows/Port, where I gather the same exists between certain league &/or union teams in their competitions. In the end thats great rivalry that both OZ & NZ enjoy on the field & supporters alike, but we will always stick up for each other in times of need & thats a fact.

rcuttell
  • 16th Feb 2011 12:43pm

Sport is not real life; it's a game! To have a competition, you have to generate some rivalry. It's fun but it means nothing. The Australian Rugby Team is coached by a former All Black. In real life Aussies and kiwis are cousins. Watch how soon we'd come to each others aid in a real emergency.

Crazykat
  • 16th Feb 2011 10:49am

Even though I am an aussie, kiwis are superior sports people. One only has to look at the standard of rugby that is played, albeit union or league, women's netball and then there's cricket. Players at all levels are far more disciplined on and off the field. Can't wait to see the Crusaders new line up in the S15's. And the almighty ALL Blacks will win the World Cup in October.

liz
  • 16th Feb 2011 10:40am

I'm a proud Kiwi who has lived in Aus for over 30 years. I have to say, Australian sports reporting is REALLY biased. If Aus wins its headline news, if they lose its way down the order if mentioned at all. And thats all sports, all channels, against all countries. In South Africa a few years ago, went to the Rugby in Durban and was able to buy a NZ flag as easily as a SA one. That sure would not happen here in Aus.Their reporting was fair and unbiased. I have a shirt which says 'I support New Zealand and any country playing Australia'. I especially do not support Aus cricket team as they are so arrogant (especially R.Ponting), and will go for whatever team is playing against them. Having said all that I really love living in Aus, it sure is the lucky country, and I support it in every other area except sport.

awsewell
  • 16th Feb 2011 09:55am

Australians and Kiwis both take their sport very seriously, and we compete in many of the same sports (rugby union, league, cricket, hockey, cycling, etc). That and our close proximity to each other and our great distamce to the rest of the western world keeps us very close with rivalry inevitably occuring. We take our rivalries with England much more seriously but we do enjoy a healthy rivalry with NZ. Without rivalry sport becomes somewhat boring, rivalry creates passion. The underarm bowling incident was poor but it was within the rules and even without it Australia probably would have won anyway (NZ were only playing for a tie off that ball). Take a look at the Commonwealth Games, Australia took home a stack of gold medals but the most interest was in the gold medal matches between Australia and NZ (mens hockey, netball, 7s rugby). For the most part, Australians like to see NZ get up, as long as it is not against us.

Bryan
  • 16th Feb 2011 06:54am

I am a Kiwi, but with family who have moved to Aus (not in chains). Having worked in Aus and frequently holidayed there, I think Kiwi's have a significantly bigger sense of rivalry towards Australians than Ausies do toward us.
As an ex sports person (now too old), I didn't play for the sport, I played to win and did what ever it took to win, sometimes I even got caught by the referee! I think the Ausie under arm incident may have been bad sportsmanship, but it won them the game..and at the end of the day, its the scoreboard that counts...(we are taught to play for the fun of the sport but that PC stuff is for losers!)
NZ is about 20% of the population of Australia (excluding all those kiwi's who don't live in NZ), but we compete well in most things - I even believe we have beat them at Rugby league a couple of times lately, and even our lowly rated soccer team has become much more competitive lately (how many games did Ausie lose at the world cup (kiwi's didn't lose any - didn't win any either mind you)...Cricket is the one stand out that Ausie's seem to have over NZ..must be a throw back to their colonial heritage..but again, Kiwi's have always been free to choose where to live!

Dave
  • 24th Jun 2012 03:48pm
I am a Kiwi, but with family who have moved to Aus (not in chains). Having worked in Aus and frequently holidayed there, I think Kiwi's have a significantly bigger sense of rivalry towards...

TOO OLD! Bryan, what are you saying, some of my best friends are competitively active 80+ year-olds, these people are Masters Athletes, and as representatives of the Oceania region of the World (includes Australia and New Zealand), are recognised as some of the best athletes in the World. AGE IS NO BARRIER!

feral007
  • 17th Feb 2011 05:00pm
I am a Kiwi, but with family who have moved to Aus (not in chains). Having worked in Aus and frequently holidayed there, I think Kiwi's have a significantly bigger sense of rivalry towards...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

Katie8
  • 15th Feb 2011 11:05pm

These type of discussions (one country versus another) can be very inflamatory. I think its a shame to pit Aussies and Kiwis against each other as we are all Antipodeans sharing an amazing and unique history. When I did the big overland trip across Asia and around Europe in the 1970's, I noticed that Aussies and Kiwis always gravitated together because, basically, we are so much alike (sharing a similar quality of life, sense of humour). I can't think of two other countries that have such a kinship. Australia and New Zealand are like (squabbling) sisters, very competetive but with a sense of kinship and familiarity (borne from our ANZAC history). I am an Aussie but have travelled extensively throughout New Zealand and think that both countries are absolutely wonderful.

auksiron2
  • 9th Feb 2011 11:38am

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

MariaG
  • 9th Feb 2011 11:11am

I think it's just good old chest beating. As long as I can remember there has been rivalry accross the ditch. Makes things more interesting as far as I'm concerned. I'm an avid granny soccer supporter and always enjoy the bouts between Wellington and my lads. The nearest I get to being insulting is when I'm in the grandstand yelling ... "give the poor little lambsies a pat". Get over the sookie la la and enjoy the ride.

feral007
  • 7th Feb 2011 07:47pm

You must be one of those Pommie whingers living in Nu Sheepland. Kiwis still can't get over the "underarm" bowling incident.

Lastcardlouis
  • 29th May 2012 05:11pm
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

Hey Feral, since when was Rugby League our national sport? In practical terms it's only played in two states and caters essentially to the lower socio-economic strata, while Aussie Rules has a much broader appeal and is The Only Game in Victoria, Tassie, SA and WA. At the professional level the AFL leaves NRL (with all its broke and desperate clubs) for dead. But in terms of total player numbers Netball is the winner and NZ gives us some really serious competition.

I'm a Rugby Union ex player and ref and while I naturally want Australia to win I have to hand to the Kiwis - they are soooo good! If you want to know why, find out what you can about Colin Meads.

dima
  • 17th Feb 2011 04:14pm
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

feral007 as ex OZ now living in Godzone,let me remind you that cricket is OZ national sport,Aussie rules in Victoria,rugby league is NSW & Q'land . Both nations are very sports oriented-in OZ they are sports mad & in NZ it is a religion.There you have it.
Dima

feral007
  • 9th Feb 2011 10:20am
I am a fifth generation kiwi and I haven't gotten over the underarm business as it was against all sense of decency and natural justice. It seems to me to be a shame that win at any cost has become...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

Kiwi chick
  • 8th Feb 2011 10:46pm
You must be one of those Pommie whingers living in Nu Sheepland. Kiwis still can't get over the "underarm" bowling incident.

I am a fifth generation kiwi and I haven't gotten over the underarm business as it was against all sense of decency and natural justice. It seems to me to be a shame that win at any cost has become rife.

chrissyGirl
  • 5th Feb 2011 08:51am

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

auksiron2
  • 5th Feb 2011 05:12pm
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

Yes, the key word is TRY...! Bearing in mind that a few underhanded tricks have come out when the threat of losing is imminent. In the spirit of sportsmanship the threat of a loss by a National team can be a devastating blow. I believe that everywhere in this world there are sore losers, but c'mon...it's only a game/sport. This is true rivalry, but a country such as Oz to view us Kiwis as a threat to their sports no matter what it is... well all I can say is oi,oi,oi GO KIWIS

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