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Australian rugby fans are going through one hell of an identity crisis at the moment. Stung by twin defeats to the All Blacks in Sydney and Auckland, Wallabies’ supporters are suddenly racked with as much self-doubt as the Wallabies themselves.
Some commentators, like The Roar’s very own Brett McKay, have argued that Australia simply lacks the talent to compete with New Zealand at the moment.
By their reckoning, Aussie rugby is currently in a trough, and it is unfair to weigh down today’s players with unrealistically high expectations.
In other words, Australian fans should be perfectly satisfied with a very distant second place.
That attitude is a certain recipe for unending mediocrity. No team ever became the best in the world by deciding to settle for something less.
Yes, the All Blacks are a particularly daunting side these days. If rugby were played on paper, New Zealand would win by a country mile every time.
So what? If another team is clearly better than you, the correct response is not to throw up your hands and say you’re at peace with the situation.
Instead, you should be measuring yourself against that higher standard, and working ceaselessly to match it.
Australia won five consecutive Bledisloe Cup series between 1998 and 2002.
During that period, do you think the All Blacks or their fans ever considered settling for second place? Even for a moment?
Of course not. Those Kiwi teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s were obviously not the best in the world, but expectations across the Tasman never dropped.
Anything less than first place is considered a failure in New Zealand. If another team ever rises to the top of world rugby, like the Springboks did in 2009, the All Blacks find a way to surpass them.
Their pride demands it.
Even resounding victories are assessed with a critical eye by the public, and indeed by the players themselves.
While the Australian commentators were waxing lyrical about New Zealand’s performance in the aftermath of that 22-0 drubbing at Eden Park, the All Blacks were already highlighting areas of their game that needed improvement.
That attitude may seem overly harsh to some. But it is the driving force behind a team that enjoys virtually unrivalled success on the international stage.
New Zealand will never settle for second, and that is why the All Blacks nearly always come first.
Now Australian fans must choose a course for the Wallabies.
Is it enough to remain a distant second to New Zealand, forever beaten by a team that is just too good, or is the goal to overthrow the All Blacks and become the best in the world?
Of course it’s the latter. Which means that the Wallabies must be held to the highest available standard.
Mediocrity should not become acceptable merely because the current Australian team is decidedly mediocre.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.