World Cup 2015 Final, Australia v/s New Zealand: Trans-Tasman sporting rivalry spanned out across the years
Australia-New Zealand collage
The trans-Tasman rivalry between New Zealand and Australia is most clearly displayed in the sporting arena, though there are other reasons why the neighbours have a fierce competitive relationship.
Here is a short chronicle of both nations’ rivalry in the sporting arena.
RUGBY - New Zealand regularly treated Australia as second-tier opponents until 1979 when the Wallabies won the Bledisloe Cup and took the trophy on a lap of honour around the Sydney Cricket Ground, an act that stung the All Blacks.
Australians still harbour ill-feelings over Colin Meads inflicting a career-ending leg injury on scrumhalf Ken Catchpole in 1968. The Wallabies have also beaten New Zealand twice in World Cup semi-finals, though the All Blacks’ recent domination – they have won 19 of the past 24 tests with two draws – has diminished the rivalry a little.
CRICKET - Australia had little to do with New Zealand after thrashing them in their first test in 1946, not playing the longest form of the game again until 1973. Competitive one-day matches in the early-1980s reignited the rivalry, at least in New Zealand, as the side showed they could compete.
The underarm incident’ in 1981, Greg Dyer’s claiming of a non-catch in 1987 and Brad Haddin knocking the bails off in 2009 have infuriated New Zealand fans, who view the incidents as examples of Australia’s win-at-all-cost mentality.
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