The game’s too close to call but New Zealand could today have most to fear from their fellow countrymen, writes Iain Morrison
IT’S AS difficult working out which team will win as it is deciding which side to support when Australia take on New Zealand in the second semi-final of the Rugby World Cup. Do you don your yellow shirt or wave a black scarf at the action? But if you are scratching your head in confusion then spare a thought for Warren O’Connor.
Our man is a Kiwi, a dyed-in-the-wool All Black supporter, a mad keen fan from birth. He is the type you see sitting in a large group of black-clad folks complete with war paint and a one-eyed view on the referee’s parentage (especially if he happens to hail from England) who show up wherever and whenever the All Blacks take the field.
Like all New Zealand rugby supporters Warren has suffered the same 24 years of heartache and heartbreak since that solitary World Cup success back in 1987 as the All Blacks have stuffed up the one competition they want most while picking up Tri Nations titles like they were goldfish at a village fair. Just two matches separate his team from glory and now Warren O’Connor must choose whether to support the All Blacks or lend his voice to the Wallaby side his son James plays for.
O’Connor senior is referred to as a “passionate” All Black supporter so he simply can’t win ... or perhaps he can’t lose? Either way he can’t emerge from today’s match entirely serene. Either his son or his beloved All Blacks will be out of the World Cup by coffee time today.
“I feel Australian. I was born here, this is where I started playing rugby properly,” James O’Connor said to the press last week. “This is where my dream started to be a professional rugby player. My family’s slowly making that transition as well ... they’re getting there, but Dad’s finding it a bit hard.”
Should the Wallabies triumph today at least some of the credit must go to their arch rivals who either produced or schooled several of their key players. They love to hate each other but the two countries have more in common than most because several of this Wallaby XV owe something to New Zealand.
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