I was reflecting on Monday’s moving and dignified ceremony at Eden Park to farewell Jonah Lomu in the context of a number of recent sporting exchanges between our two countries.
It led me to ask: as a sporting nation, while we may rate ourselves highly, what will be the legacy of some our performances?
The speeches at Lomu’s farewell were as much about the man as they were about his monumental impact on the game of rugby. I thought of the recently concluded trans-Tasman cricket series, and the Kiwis’ dignified and sportsmanlike conduct.
Think about Mitchell Santner’s reaction to his first Test wicket. No self-indulgent histrionics, just a modest fist pump and a hint of a smile. Similarly, while congratulating him his colleagues did not behave as if his was some Earth-shattering occasion.
Think also of their response to the egregious Nathan Lyon decision. All grace and dignity. I shudder to think of what response our team and our jingoistic Channel Nine commentators might have been.
Reflect on the (hopefully unlikely) prospect of Steve Smith breaking down. The captain of one of Australia’s great sporting teams – a role which ranks with leaders of politics and industry – would be David Warner, that fine exemplar of humility, dignity and modesty.
Many of you may say ‘who cares as long as we win’, and there may be something in that. However, in coming decades, what will the legacy of the generation of Australian sportsmen (and I use ‘men’ deliberately) be?
A passionate supporter of our national sporting teams, I am coming to the view that some (not all) do not deserve my continued support.
I look across the Tasman and observe the likes of Ritchie McCaw, Brendon McCallum and the great bulk of the teams they lead. They represent the attitudes, standards, integrity and most of all humility that many of their Australian counterparts lack.
Call me old-fashioned, naive or sentimental, but they seem like good blokes whose success derives in no small measure from keeping their heads down and getting on with their jobs.
mattyb
Guest
Your right SP. This article is terrible,it even goes behind laughable.It pretty much starts nowhere,completely goes nowhere and for the author to falsify his nationality is a bit ordinary.
Sandy
Guest
I think you are right SP, this oke is either a Kiwi or a very dodgey Aussie.
Wal
Roar Guru
Hey Johnny Boy I wrote plenty a comment about the Booing being unacceptable and should stop, also been subjected to it at SFS and Homebush by Tahs fans. But so long as everyone is happy to take the toddler response of they did if first/worst we'll all keep getting worse.
Mark
Guest
Haha, does she hurt your manly pride?
Mark
Guest
This this this.
Jerry
Guest
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/400x/35144463.jpg
Wasim Ranamadroota
Roar Pro
Andy wins best comment on the page. But I am more humble than he is.
Jerry
Guest
There was also one time that only 10 players shook Steve Smith's hand when he got off the mark in the 1st test. Trent Boult was the bowler and he simply walked back to his mark for the next delivery. Luckily Ross Taylor spotted it and told on him so BMac gave Boult a sound thrashing in between overs and fined him half his lunch.
Jerry
Guest
" think about how kiwi crowds introduced rabid booing of the opposition when kicking for goal" Jeez, why stop there. If you're gonna make stuff up just go big. "Think about how kiwi crowds invented the concept of booing, parking tickets and Hitler. Is there no end to their evil?"
Don Freo
Guest
The fabrication is that it didn't happen.
ozinsa
Guest
Who cares if he said that rude word anyway? It wasn't some massive arms flailing, belittling send off. It was some steam let off post getting a wicket and might have been missed had the camera not been on his face at that exact moment. Really, I hate the big send off but this simply didn't qualify.
Johnny Boy Jnr
Guest
Well at least Richie recanted. Hansen drives the All Blacks hatred of Aus Just as I hated Ponting's lack of sportsmanship I think Hansen is an ignorant simpleton who unfortunately is in an extremely influential position. All we need is Mark Latham to be elected PM and we'll have another Muldoon buffoon
Johnny Boy Jnr
Guest
Ummmm so you turned a blind eye to the Kiwi's treatment of the Australian teams and supporters as hosts of the 2011 RWC? Clean up your backyard and when you've done that I think you'll find the animosity of the trans-Tasman rivalry will be quite tame indeed. Oh, as much as you hate Aus for claiming Russell Crowe and Pavlova, also think about how kiwi crowds introduced rabid booing of the opposition when kicking for goal. It has manifested since the introduction of super rugby but has been the fledgingly ugly contribution of kiwi fans to test rugby for decades
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Starc got fined for throwing the ball and I thought it was confirmed that he said that word to Santner". The only suggestion Starc swore at Santner is this reference from those articles: "'What are you looking at, c**t?' was what a number of amateur lip-readers on Twitter suggested Starc had said". Not sure how much we should be relying on the lip reading interpretations of random people on Twitter!
Don Freo
Guest
He also complained publicly about the Lyon dismissal. I don't know how saying you'll accept umpire's decisions, thereby raising the level of sportsmanship...but not actually do it...can go unnoticed by Kiwi fans. I like Taylor a lot, but don't pretend that this cricket team is a paragon of virtue.
GeorgiePorgie
Guest
the Kiwis are still suffering from the underarm syndrone
Don Freo
Guest
That sums up the whole approach of Kiwi fans. A made up event had a massive impact on the series. NZ lost because they thought someone said a rude word...but didn't.
Targa
Guest
My comment is still awaiting moderation - look he (Starc) got fined for throwing the ball and I thought it was confirmed that he said that word to Santner http://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/mitchell-starc-criticised-giving-aggressive-send-off-debutant-mitchell-santner
Targa
Guest
I said that there were only 2 bad things I know about that Aussies did in the series - I thought it was a positive. A few years agao there would've been more negatives in an average session. Anyway what's the fabrication? http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-new-zealand-2015-16/content/story/938653.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/73846498/Mitchell-Starc-fined-8300-for-wild-throw-at-Mark-Craig-in-first-test http://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/mitchell-starc-criticised-giving-aggressive-send-off-debutant-mitchell-santner http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/74515986/mitchell-starc-under-fire-for-sendoff-to-black-caps-debutant-mitchell-santner And I understand people on the roar having a crack at McCullum, but what's wrong with Taylor?
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Ok, I'll bite Don, just 'cos I'm an idiot. What's Taylor done to upset you?