The most loved and hated national team in world rugby are the All Blacks of New Zealand. They get slagged the most by their own countrymen but for others to slag the All Blacks is waiting for a good, solid punch in the mouth.
The interesting drama that I have noticed in my limited world is how much the tiny countries, the second and third tier rugby countries simply idolize the All Blacks. Why is that?
Is it awe? Is it the Haka? Is it the skills of the players. Perhaps those wild Islander names?Is it the fact that usually the All Blacks are the number one team in the world?
Yet, to have only won one world cup seems a big deal in the world of rugby critism. Even that one championship has an asterik in it in all the annuals of South African rugby because how could NZ be the champiuon of the world when South Africa didn't compete. It seems like a no win situation for the All Blacks every two or three years.
When the All Blacks win, the rest of the world agonizes. When the All Blacks lose, the big countrues are delighted.
But in the midst of all this conjuring up mystical reugby beasts, the little perople all over the world never lose faith in the glory of the almighty All Blacks, win or lose.
Will somebody simply tell me why?
When I hear the words All Blacks from Iceland to Singapore, in a Biker's Bar or Handbag Shop, I always wonder why these people just want to be a part of the All Blacks, sometimes a team they have never seen or a sport they have never followed.
I think it has something to do with being the best. The little guy attaches himself to the team everybody says is the best. I think it's just the HA HA HAKA.
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Nice to see this new blog.
Long live to rugby blogs.
I happen to be a second or third- tier nation (I don't really know) whose favourite team is New Zealand.
But I guess mine is a somewhat strange case. I started watching rugby at 10, at the semifinals of what was called first rugby world cup ever.
In that game, Serge Blanco and co showed they were a powerful force of world rugby.
I loved the game, but I loved the most the way a small country in the opposite part in the world defeated those seemingly-giants clad in blue just a week after.
I learnt rugby by watching the All Blacks and I found it magic that such a small country, such a weird country could be world's best.
So I found two new loves: rugby and the All Blacks.
20 years "après" things have much changed. Rugby is now a cricus and its players, gladiators.
If I embody a soccer-hooligan, watch soccer twice per week, tennis from time to time, formula 1 only when a spanish guy competes for the title, etc, etc... What am I going to do with rugby?
I will hear of rugby just once every four years and learn who's on fire. I will support the Boks or the wallabies, or, as they are weird enough and perform a strange dance and everybody calls them the best, The All Blacks.
That, I assume, is the reason for people to support the All Blacks. Just look at this summer Olympic games and see how many people watches sports they don't usually watch and try to guess upon what they chose their sides.
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