Rightful Come-uppance!

When an Australian sporting team takes it upon themselves to challenge the tradition and integrity of another nation's accepted pre-match ritual then it says to this white man that something is amiss. That is what I witnessed last night in the final of the Rugby League Cup contested between Australia and New Zealand. After both country's national anthems were sung, New Zealand lined up and performed their usual "haka" war dance. Usually any other team facing this symbolic dance will line up respectfully at a distance and allow the Kiwis this one indulgence that connects them to their cultural roots. Last week in the semi-final, the English turned their back on the haka and ignored it - another show of disrespect in my opinion. But I believe last night was just as disgraceful, if not worse! During their haka last night, the Australian Kangaroos team linked arms and, in one long line walked towards the New Zealand players in the midst of their dance. They stopped as one literally a nose hair's width from the first Kiwi's in the front line of their haka formation. I believe it was obvious that they encroached so closely to the New Zealanders that they could not freely complete their dance with the same extravagence as normal. And then, when the haka finished the Australians arrogantly just walked through the New Zealand players. Absolute bad taste!

Let me say - I am Australian and I am proud of it. Nobody rejoices more when Australia succeed on the global stage and especially so on a sporting arena. But one thing this white man cannot cop is seeing arrogance by an Australian team to the extent that it disrupts another teams ritual preparations. Especially when that other team is performing a traditional cultural display. A couple of weeks ago I wrote in this blog that the RLWC08 tournament itself was a bit of a joke as it was so one-sided towards Australia. I think the Kangaroos believed they were the only team in the competition and treated everyone accordingly. Well, as they say, after pride comes the fall and how the 'mighty' fell! A 34-20 victory for New Zealand last night is a rightful vindication for a country disrespected before the game even began and it is a rightful come-uppance to an Australian national side so inflated with individual egos that they simply didn't deserve to win. Justice was done and so be it!