Main rival

First topic message reminder :

Well this time of year both hemispheres have some form of rugby competition. There's no right answer to this question: who do you consider to be your main rival? You can answer your test rival or your club or provincial rival or as many categories as you like but you can give just one.

So for me, NZ's main rival the way I see it is SA. They have the biggest winning percentage against us and even though Australia is our neighbour and we love beating them in anything, there is too much history between the Boks and the ABs to ignore.

Growing up in NZ, Auckland was the main rival of Canterbury. They dominated the NZ rugby landscape for much of my childhood and so the Super successes the Crusaders enjoyed were some payback for the misery of those years.

Just interested to hear what everyone else's main rival is in their opinion.

Australia - NZ then SA
NSW - Qld (historically) then Brumbies

France are the closest rivals for Wales in terms of class. Ireland in terms of close games. New Zealand to get the 1953 monkey off our back. I like playing england quite simply because I hate them

you dont say

mystiroakey wrote:you dont say

Yeah I do

Why the hate?

here we go...

Come on RW reply. We dont wanna keep our audience waiting!

Whom ever we play next.
But once the game is over buy the opposition a pint and have a sing song then move on.

Not taking sides, but I'm tempted to quote Sinatra:

"Baby, if you gotta ask the question, you ain't ever gonna understand the answer"

Scotland - Anyone, all other teams worry me when Scotland are playing

Wasps - Harlequins/Sarries, the two home derbies

majesticimperialman wrote:I think Englands main rival is France.....But we do seem to beat a lot mainly at Twickerham.

But England main pain in the butt, As to
be Wales.

So your basically suggesting that Wales seem to fluke their wins over England? I would say these days Wales pose a far bigger threat to England than France do, Split in the middle win/lose ratio between the Welsh and English.
Also since the 2007 world cup Wales have won two and Lost two at Twickers! beyond the Southern Hemisphere Wales pose a very big threat to the English at home these days.

Unless i have totally miss read your comments and the pain in the Butt remark was a slant toward big Dai whom you used to date

viewtothegym wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:I think Englands main rival is France.....But we do seem to beat a lot mainly at Twickerham.

But England main pain in the butt, As to
be Wales.

So your basically suggesting that Wales seem to fluke their wins over England? I would say these days Wales pose a far bigger threat to England than France do, Split in the middle win/lose ratio between the Welsh and English.
Also since the 2007 world cup Wales have won two and Lost two at Twickers! beyond the Southern Hemisphere Wales pose a very big threat to the English at home these days.

Unless i have totally miss read your comments and the pain in the Butt remark was a slant toward big Dai whom you used to date

Viewtothegym. Yes you have miss read my remark about Wales being a pain in the butt for England.

What i was saying is that every time England get up a head of steam. When we play Wales we nearly all most come unstuck. Especially when it comes too the 6ns.

NZ's main rival now is England.

gboycottnut wrote:NZ's main rival now is England.

cough cough...pardon me..

For Wales it's probably Ireland. Either they have our number and have a run of wins against us, or we've got theirs and have a good run.
As for who Id want us to beat above anyone else, apart from the obvious answer of whoever next it's got to be Australia for me after so many close games lost.

For the Scarlets it has to be the Ospreys. Munster are a close second though.

Taylorman wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:NZ's main rival now is England.

cough cough...pardon me..

Yeah that is abit much NZ cant even get within 18..

For Leinster, Munster are our biggest rivals. There's also the rivalries with the big fish in the HC like Toulouse and Clermont, who want our Cup. And there's also the PRO12 rivalries like with the Ospreys who've been the most adept team at beating us during our recent triumphant years. Twice in a league final, on our home ground.

From this thread it seems there are sub headings of rivalries:

Teams we want to beat because they have beaten us

Teams who we compete regularly with for silverware

Teams we want to beat as they are as good as us

Teams we want to beat as our grandfather wanted to beat them when he took us to our first matches

The team next door.

Teams we want to beat because they are better than us.

Teams we want to beat for historic reasons.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Interesting Notch. Those appear to be more recent rivalries who have overtaken the traditional ones.

Ireland and Wales yes. Ulster and Munster is perhaps only second to Ulster and Leinster as a historic rivalry!

Glas a du wrote:From this thread it seems there are sub headings of rivalries:

Teams we want to beat because they have beaten us

Teams who we compete regularly with for silverware

Teams we want to beat as they are as good as us

Teams we want to beat as our grandfather wanted to beat them when he took us to our first matches

The team next door.

Teams we want to beat because they are better than us.

Teams we want to beat for historic reasons.

Teams that think they are rivals when they manage to win a match

There...you missed one glas...

Cheers T