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Posted by David Whitley May 17, 2007 |
While Rugby League attempts to project itself as an international sport, realistically only Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand have sides of any real quality. Of those, Australia are the strongest by far, so the closest the sport gets to a proper world class rivalry are the annual State of Origin clashes between the New South Wales and Queensland Maroons.
The State of Origin is a series of three clashes between the two states, with eligibility for the two sides determined by which state a player first played senior level football in. Players must also be eligible for Australian selection.
In 2007, the three clashes take part at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 23rd and July 4th and Telstra Stadium in Sydney on June 13th. As always, the clashes promise to be tight. Since the series’ inception in 1980, Queensland have won 38 matches to New South Wales’ 37, with two games being drawn.
One argument that resurfaces every year, however, is whether Queenslanders care more about the games than their southern neighbours. The general gist is that it means more to Queenslanders because New South Wales has a bigger population and more clubs while much of the country’s economy is centred in Sydney rather than Brisbane. Bizarrely, both camps tend to deny this, New South Wales because it suggests they don’t try as hard, and Queensland because it indicates a parochial mentality.
I’d hate to stereotype the population of two states, but what I will say is that I’ve watched the games in both Sydney and Brisbane, and there is a far bigger buzz when viewing proceedings in a Brisbane pub than a Sydney one. And, if I had a choice of getting tickets for either stadium, it’d be the Suncorp everytime.
More sporting events.