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Size of the fight in the dog: Beware the Black Caps

27th March, 2015
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Brendon McCullum was - is - a leader of men. (AFP PHOTO / MARTY MELVILLE)
Expert
27th March, 2015
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New Zealand is slightly bigger than Victoria with a national population smaller than Sydney, yet they stand tall on the international sporting scene.

They are unbeaten in the current cricket World Cup, and take on Australia tomorrow at the MCG in their first decider, having beaten the men in gold by one wicket in their pool game.

The All Blacks are the current World Cup champions, going unbeaten in the 2011 tournament, taking care of the Pumas 33-10 in the quarters, the Wallabies 20-6 in the semis, and France 8-7 in the final.

The All Blacks have also won the coveted Bledisloe Cup for the last 12 years, and are the current Rugby Championship holders.

The Kiwis were unbeaten in the Four Nations rugby league tournament last year, downing the Kangaroos 30-12 in the round-robin, before repeating the dose 22-18 in the final.

New Zealand has produced five magnificent Olympic athletes over the years.

Jack Lovelock was their first Olympic gold medallist, winning the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin Games.

Murray Halberg won 5000 metre gold at the Rome Olympics in 1960.

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Peter Snell won Olympic gold in the 800 at Rome as well, plus 800 and 1500 gold in Tokyo in 1964. He was named New Zealand’s Sports Champion of the 20th Century.

John Walker won Olympic 1500 gold at the 1976 Montreal Games, and during his stellar career he broke the four-minute barrier for the mile 135 times.

Not to be outdone, Yvette Williams won long jump gold at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

All five held world records during their careers.

The Kiwis produced Bob Charles, the first left-hander to win a golfing major, the 1963 British Open. They also produced a men’s singles finalist at Wimbledon in Chris Lewis, who ran into a buzz-saw John McEnroe to be beaten 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in 1983.

Peter Blake skippered Team New Zealand to America’s Cup victory in 1995. Equestrian Mark Todd won two gold and two bronze at 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Canoeist Ian Ferguson won four Olympic gold – the K1 over 500, K2 over 500, and K4 over 1000 at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and K2 gold over 500 in Seoul in 1988.

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New Zealand rowing has been spectacular, with nine gold and twelve other Olympic medals, and 24 world championship golds.

And last, but by no means least, the Silver Ferns, New Zealand’s netball team, constantly have titanic tussles with the Australian Diamonds, quite often with just a goal in it.

Netball isn’t an Olympic sport, but the Silver Ferns have won four world championships – 1967, 1979, 1987, and 2003 – and Commonwealth Games gold in 2006 and 2010.

Kiwi sports lovers can feel justifiably proud of their rep teams.

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.

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