Wallabies’ hopes of RWC win have turned Black

BACK in the good old days of John Eales, Tim Horan and Jason Little, I couldn’t wait for the Bledisloe Cup series and/or the Rugby World Cup.

I had a good mate who was a loyal Kiwi who, though he’d married a born-and-bred Toowoomba girl and they’d gone on to have three beautiful children also born in the Garden City, remained a staunch and loyal supporter of all things New Zealand – in particular his beloved Canterbury Crusaders and the All Blacks.

What fun it was to head off to Ballymore and Lang Park and watch the Wallabies run over the All Blacks with my mate Kiwi sitting beside me, copping a ribbing from arrogant Aussies who conveniently forgot the previous 80 or so years during which the Kiwis gave the Aussies a regular flogging.

Unfortunately, in recent years it’s been a long time between drinks for Wallabies’ supporters particularly around Bledisloe Cup and World Cup time – as it is at the moment.

Tragically we lost our mate Kiwi just prior to the last World Cup.

However, he certainly left a legacy in his children and grandchildren who, despite being born-and-bred Aussies, cheer on the Black and Whites in honour of their Kiwi dad.

To rub it in even further, Kiwi’s family across the ditch regularly sends me messages via mobile phone or social media to remind me of how the Wallabies are going (as if I needed reminding), the latest scores and how long it’s been since the Bledisloe Cup resided in the Australian Rugby Union’s trophy cabinet.

I had a rare reprieve recently when the Wallabies gave the All Blacks a touch-up in Perth.

Of course, normality was restored when the Aussies lost the Bledisloe

A FEW MORE LOSSES AND WE WON’T HAVE TO COME UP AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS AT ALL, OUR TEAM WILL BE ON THE PLANE HOME.

decider in Auckland a week later and my phone started ringing out more pings than an intensive care unit.

Having been on the losing end for the past 15 or so years, I’ve become used to the “gentle” ribbing – just as Kiwi did when the All Blacks played second fiddle to the Wallabies during the Eales’ era but since the arrival of his grandsons the sledging has reached new heights.

The two boys’ wardrobes are literally filled with All Black strips and banners which they dress in regularly.

Personally, I find dressing Aussie kids in Kiwi attire akin to child abuse, a view I have expressed regularly but to no avail.

To make matters worse, the two boys are proud All Blacks supporters and despite being surrounded by fellow Aussies, I’m usually the sole Wallaby in the lounge during games.

So, you can understand my trepidation in even watching this World Cup which was why I probably was the only Aussie who didn’t mind seeing the Wallabies go down to the Welsh.

A few more losses and we won’t have to come up against the All Blacks at all, our team will be on the plane home.

Yet, things got even tougher last weekend for this proud Wallaby fan.

To honour the fourth year anniversary of the passing of Kiwi, I had dinner with his lovely family in Toowoomba and we toasted him over a beer and a steak, as he would have wanted.

I was a little puzzled though when Kiwi’s daughter whispered to her two young sons, Kiwi’s grandsons, and the pair of them walked up to me at the end of the table with a gift.

My birthday being in July, I was a little puzzled but accepted the gift with love and gratitude.

That was until I opened it to find two All Blacks banners, one with the words of the Haka and explaining the sentiment behind them.

To rub it in further, and I don’t know if this was a set up, but a mutual friend then posted the banners onto the walls of my lounge.

But there they will remain for the duration of the Rugby World Cup, in honour of our mate Kiwi.

At least I’ll be backing a winner!