balkanghost

IF we don't hate them, why do we love to beat them? Why is it Australia, above all other nations, that we like to beat at sport? Why is it that defeat at the hands of Australia is one of the most painful sensations that sport can offer?

Broad Shoulders

I think you'll find that it is not limited to England wanting to beat the Aussies at all costs. Over the last 10 years the worldwide perception of Aussies in sport has changed from a fair play/play hard sporting nation to one that shows great inability to handle themselves in a dignified manner when losing (Aussie Cricket Team, Lleyton Hewitt, John Howard at the Rugby World Cup to name a few examples). I think this has lead a lot of other sporting nations really want to stick it up the Aussies. The fact that England/Britain has suffered probably the most in terms of defeat to the Aussies only spurs us on further.

Petals

As we are now Australians so we support Australia and I don't like them to lose anymore than other Aussies to any other team. However I have found that most Australians are very appreciative of good play and will applaud it. You cannot judge the whole nation by a few.

What our family likes is a good match, not a slaughter whoever is the victor.

Only time our family supports somewhere else is Scotland as oh is a scot and he says he is not English so he does not have to support England.

POW148

I have noticed that when Australia lose at any sport, there is never any mention in the media a day later. The 2003 world cup was a classic example. Even though Australia hosted the competition, within a couple of days, it was like the games never took place.

Luckily I am here to remind them who keeps knocking them out of that competition. 1995 Rob Andrew kicks the winning goal in the last 10 seconds of the game, 2003 Johnny Wilkingson Kicks the winning goal in the last 30 seconds of the game & 2007 (cant remember much about that game as I was pissed at the time) but the end result was still the same. Sit Down Australia - Next

Barney

WillBlack

According to Wikipedia, the 2003 World Cup was played in South Africa.

Apparently, "The tournament was won by Australia who defeated India in the final."

I think you must have been more heavily under the influence than you are willing to admit even to yourself.

Broad Shoulders

That's the Cricket World Cup, not the Rugby World Cup

Broad Shoulders

Completely agree, but you must admit that the behaviours of Hewitt and the national cricket team over the last 10 years has certainly dinted Australia's reputation

WillBlack

Oops. So many these days, hard to keep up.

MartinLuther

I haven't found that at all. The local press and radio (in Melly at least) handled the 2005 defeat well and with humour. Can't say I experienced the same from the English press and radio when I lived there.

Broad Shoulders

...but Ponting's and Katich's behaviour was acceptable then was it?

MartinLuther

I didn't say that or imply that. Neither of them work for the local press or radio.

If you want to go that way, I'll agree Ponting is a dick and so is Flintoff.

WillBlack

Do tell, hugging on field were they?

Broad Shoulders

....and Hewitt's racial villification of a line judge was also just misunderstood too, I suppose

Broad Shoulders

Flintoff's bad behaviour is kept to off the field unlike Ponting and Katich

MartinLuther

Didn't imply that either. I don't think he works for the local press or radio either. In fact I don't know anything about Hewitt as I don't follow tennis.