AUSTRALIANS HAVE INFERIORITY COMPLEX

THE AUSTRALIANS

ARE starting to worry that they have an inferiority complex. It might sound ridiculous – an Australian feeling inferior to anyone – but it’s a theory hard to swat away given the dominance of New Zealand teams over them in Super Rugby.

Last year Australian sides only won three times against New Zealand opposition. It was a terrible return from 26 games and after 11 contests against New Zealand sides in 2017, Australia were yet to win one in Super Rugby.

In the first week of April they saw the Rebels thumped by the Highlanders in Dunedin, the Force lose to the Blues in Auckland, the Hurricanes beat the Reds in Brisbane and the weekend rounded o with the Waratahs losing to the Crusaders in Sydney.

No wonder former Wallaby and media commentator Rod Kafer suggested Australian players don’t believe they are good enough to beat New Zealand sides any more.

“All the players hear is how far ahead the Kiwi teams are and eventually, as resistant as you try to be as a player, those things over time seep in, through the smallest cracks in a player’s psyche,” Kafer told Sky Sports.

“You get the sense that our decline in performance, particularly against New Zealand sides, has unfortunately been consistent over the past three years.

“It’s almost in the psyche now, that deferment to New Zealand and it becomes self-perpetuating.

“Our performances against New Zealand teams have declined over a period of time, I’d say the past three years.

“Of course there’s going to be uncertainty around the competition but if anything that gives the players opportunities to be inspired and to play as if their lives depended on it.”