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Nothing says blockbuster like the words ‘traditional rivals’. Rivalries are commonplace in sport but always make for special encounters. For the player it’s about pride and one-upmanship. For the fan it’s about bragging rights and sledging the day after.
A rivalry usually begins with a close encounter, a poached player or coach, or some instinctive display of passion overflowed. Rivalries usually entail an intangible dislike and begrudging respect for the opposition that make the wins sweeter and the losses far more sour. They prickle the pride. They motivate.
Cameron Smith commented to Karl de Kroo of the Herald Sun on the Storm-Broncos rivalry in the lead-up to their 2009 final at Etihad Stadium:
“I think all the boys for whatever reason would say we take more satisfaction out of beating the Broncos… Maybe it is because of Craig’s connection with Brisbane, and he has passed that on to us, but we love playing them. Even outside of finals time, there is always plenty of feeling and intensity in the games…it probably wouldn’t feel like September if we weren’t playing them at some stage… They are always great matches. They always are close finishes… We love playing them and they love playing us. It will be a great battle.”
The Rebels are a new team, built from scratch in a pan-Pacific competition.
It’s probably a stretch to suggest they have a rivalry with any particular team yet. It’s also unlikely in the short term that one team will emerge as a focal point of tribalism in such a busy fixture. As a result, it’s more practical to consider from where the rivalries may emerge.
It’s tempting to suggest the Waratahs as a team to beat, but their fans don’t really hate the Rebels or their fans enough for them to show too much interest. The Waratahs beat the Rebels twice last year and it’s going to take a while for the Rebels to peg back the ledger and make it interesting.
For similar reasons the Reds are equally unlikely. They’re the current champions, with bigger fish to fry. That’s not to say the Brumbies or Force are lesser opponents given their respective place on the table, but in 2010 the Rebels head to head was 1:1 with both sides – a crucial part of the rivalry equation.
When the Rebels beat the Brumbies, it was a nail biter. It was an emotional night at AAMI Park. Stirling Mortlock scored the side’s first try and Henry Speight scored from a forward pass to add to the drama. It was the last minute Cipriani penalty attempt that had Rebels fans on their feet and Brumbies fans throwing their remotes at their flat screens. It’s that kind of moment that breeds a rivalry. It was a home win for the Rebels and an upset at that. If the two teams trade a few more wins and losses, the Brumbies are a surefire candidate for traditional rivals.
That said however, a true rivalry needs a good win in unfamiliar surroundings, with a hostile crowd baying for blood. The Western Force fans have a vocal following at home. The Rebels embarrassed the Western Force at NIB stadium in front of its home crowd, a crowd expecting to win. It wasn’t that the margin was embarrassing so much as the way it came about.
First and foremost was Hugh Pyle scoring against the flow with an intercept. The lock forward floated out of the line to intercept the ball and lumbered beyond the Western Force’s defensive line to score beneath the posts. In addition to Pyle’s efforts was the Danny Cipriani cross-field penalty kick to Richard Kingi lurking on the left wing.
The two plotted a conspiracy to catch their hosts unawares which, thankfully for Rebels fans, was successful. That Richard Kingi try will probably be a one of a kind, but will forever be close in the Rebels fans’ kit bag when the Force come to town.
The Western Force are the next most recent Australian team in the competition so it’s natural the Rebels performances are measured against their debut season. It’s also natural for Rebels fans to progress at least on par with them. The Rebels fans will be willing their team ahead of the curve set by the Force between 2006 and 2010, creating a tense scrutiny of Rebels versus Force games.
It was the Western Force that deprived Victoria of a Super Rugby slot years ago.
It’s certainly not a vital ingredient but it enriches the relationship between the two sides. Add to that the acquisition of James O’Connor and to a lesser degree Mitch Inman, and we start to see the seeds of something with a good bit of conflict and antagonism.
The upstarts of the competition had the cheek to lure a current Wallaby and Western Force star who is approaching his peak. As a result no Force fan is likely to give the Rebels, or their fans, a free pass around Perth. It may not be a traditional rivalry yet, but the Force have to be the closest. There’ll be a bit of feeling between the two sides this year.
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.