New Zealand players celebrate after New Zealand’s Shane Smeltz, partially visible at second from left, scored a goal, during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Italy and New Zealand at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa, Sunday, June 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
With the end of another year approaching and the usual glut of articles surrounding Australia’s top sporting moments, I cannot help but feel a list of 2010 worst Aussie sporting moments might be more appropriate. Luckily it’s easy to compile such a list.
Type ‘New Zealand’s top sporting moments of 2010’ into Google and you’ll discover that 2010 really was the year little brother New Zealand truly trumped Australia.
Rugby League
2010 was the year the Kiwis won the Four Nations rugby league and the Australian league fan had to finally accept that maybe the previous couple years of strong showings internationally were not just flukes. To top things off, the aggregate crowd for the three matches played in New Zealand far surpassed the three matches played in Australia. Let’s also not forget that the NZ Warriors took out the under 20’s comp and the overall club championship.
Rugby Union
The joy of beating the All Blacks on the siren with a sideline conversion is a hollow reward given that there are primary school children who have yet to see the Bledisloe Cup in this country. Also, let’s not forget the Black Ferns women’s rugby team who took out the World Cup. Then of course there’s the Delhi Rugby Sevens, where after trailing by 10, NZ came back to claim gold in the final against Australia.
Netball
Speaking of comebacks in gold medal finals, full marks for the kick in the guts the Silver Ferns gave to the Diamonds by winning their gold medal match in double overtime in what will go down as the greatest game of Test netball to date.
Football
Which leaves us with football and the fact that the Wellington Phoenix became the first team to play in the semi-final of another confederation’s finals series, with the Oceanian’s knocking out a couple Asian Confederation Aussie teams in the process.
But of course the ‘bottom’ moment of the year must be left to the 2010 World Cup. With Australia and New Zealand heading into the tournament with vastly different expectations, New Zealand left with the bragging rights of being the only unbeaten team in the tournament, while Australia exited the tournament after just one game.
So while honourable mentions go to the Australian cricket team and Mark Webber, the kudos must go to New Zealand for finally getting one up on big brother and truly giving Australian sport a 2010 to forget.
Barry
Guest
And what is NZ's population 4.3 million and Australia's 22 million plus and how many NZ born players are playing throughout most Australian sports and contributig to there success. Win or lose it is a pretty proud record for such a small nation. Well done KIWI's.
David Heidelberg
Guest
The All Whites didn't beat anyone, three draws at the World Cup and a loss in a friendly to Australia. More a case of wishful thinking from the author.
brad_o
Guest
Not sure which world cup you were watching. Australia were beaten in the first game (Germany went further in the tournament than Italy) but were far from out of it in the first game. In fact i believe the Socceroos tally was 4 points in there group opposed the Kiwis 3.
Robbie Di Fabio
Roar Guru
It has been documented that Wellington Phoenix would not be allowed to be an Australian representative at the Asian Champions League. To be honest it's fair enough, they are not an Australian based club and personally I don't want one of our Champions League spots going to a team based in New Zealand. We moved into Asia to improve the product/exposure of the Australian game. Although Wellington is part of the A-League it's fair enough since New Zealand represents Oceania on the world stage. Until New Zealand joins Asia, then I highly doubt they will gain omission into the Asian Champions League.
SamSport
Roar Pro
I think its pretty fair to focus on those sports, rugby, league, netball and football are all more or less the major sports in NZ (the other one would be cricket, which isn't mentioned) - esp in terms of participation and spectator/media interest.
allblackfan
Guest
Technically the Phoenix are NOT an Asian Confederations team. Technically, they have been given an exemption to play in the A League -- remember all the talk from the Asian Confed boss about wanting them banned from the A League because they come from Oceania?). IF Phoenix do win the right to represent A League in the Asian Cup, I wonder if they will be allowed to?
SamSport
Roar Pro
Few people here seem a bit defensive about this article, particularly the football. After reading some of the pretty arrogant comments on the roar before the WC about how Australia shouldn't be playing NZ in a warm-up match (which Australia didn't deserve to win) and about how having NZ in the world cup was degrading the tournament - it was nice to see the SMH being so desperate for a good headline they had to resort to this "Australasia 1 - Slovakia 1: Kiwis get the point" - http://www.smh.com.au/world-cup-2010/world-cup-news/australasia-1--slovakia-1-kiwis-get-the-point-20100616-ydks.html
Long On
Guest
Superficially you are right and I suppose in Kiwi terms, given their naturally lower expectations and narrow focus, this has been a massive year. Yet you seem to be cherry picking some victories and ignoring other not so successful areas. You restrict your comments to the two rugbys, netball and soccer, how forelock tugging to the mother country of you. Any Australian reflection on this year’s sporting success would be much broader and include winter Olympians, motor racers and former fatboy swimmers. You did not mention other sports like cricket both men’s and women’s, basketball both men’s and women’s. What of your performances in things like the Comm Games, world championships and the many other sports that Australian compete well at year by year. What about all of those New Zealand teams in Australian national competitions like the NRL and the A league. What about the inability of Kiwi teams to give a yelp in the ANZ Netball championships. Lots of things to consider really. So, yes. very good year New Zealand but now is the time to broaden your focus and raise your expectations.
Walt
Guest
Hang on, Australia beat NZ in the farewell game (despite being outplayed all night) and Australia actually won a game at the World Cup. Also, the Phoenix are an Asian Confederations team - not Oceanian. They play in the A-League which is part of Asia. Credit to the 2 Rugby teams and the Netball but Australia did flog NZ twice in New Zealand in the cricket.
djsinnema
Roar Rookie
Mate, although the New Zealand teams have had an edge over the australians in many sports, such as Netball, rugby and now Rugby League, they still do not, in any way have the edge over us in Football. Wellington Pheonex are a very good club, who have spent alot of money developing a huge talented group of both Australians and New Zealanders. Associating them with New Zealand is a huge misnomer, as they will actually represent Australia in the AFC Champions League if they do win it. If they where considered an OFC club they would compete in the O-League, as NZ's best team, and will of played in like 3 Club world cups in a row. Now lets look at the world cup, Australia actual won a game, and probably should of won 2. NZ drew 3 games, and one was against a team that appeared to not even try, Italy. Australia, in reality did no worse than 2006, we left with 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss. That is 4 points opposed to 3. Plus the two teams that did qualify for the final 16 did far better than the 2 from there group. Plus a 2-1 defeat is a fair indicatior of who is better
Robbie Di Fabio
Roar Guru
I agree that New Zealand had the edge over Australia in a number of codes throughout 2010; however I beg to differ with your views on football. To begin with, Wellington Phoenix made the Preliminary Final in the 2009/10 season (not Semi-Final), consequently they were knocked out by eventual Champions Sydney FC. A great achievement by the New Zealand outfit undeniably, however it doesn’t make them any more superior than Australian teams given they technically came third in the A-League last season. In relation to the national teams, how did the All Whites gain bragging rights over the Socceroos? You failed to mention how Australia triumphed 2-1 against New Zealand in the friendly leading up to the World Cup at the MCG in May. Although Australia’s first World Cup game didn’t go to plan, the team was not eliminated after the opening match. If the Socceroos beat Ghana in the second game (1-1 unfortunate penalty/red card to Kewell which had a major influence on the game) then the scenario would have been much easier leading into the last group game. Even in the final game when Australia beat top European team Serbia, there was still a chance of progressing when 2-0 up during the second half, amid results falling our way. Unfortunately it didn’t eventuate. Australia earned four points and was eliminated on goal difference at the World Cup. Accordingly, facts don’t lie- the Socceroos still earned more points in contrast to their Trans-Tasman rivals. The All Whites were undefeated with a reputable three points from the World Cup. It was a wonderful and proud achievement for a nation viewed as a football minnow on the world stage. Drawing 1-1 to then, World Champions Italy was an historical moment for the nation. The All Whites seemingly exceeded expectations and it must be applauded, undoubtedly a proud moment for New Zealand football. Amid the successful year for New Zealand football, it’s a bit egotistical to say New Zealand were superior given Wellington Phoenix finished third in the A-League, the Socceroos beat the All Whites in a football fixture and in addition gained more points at the World Cup.