New Zealand fans need to grow up
I felt embarrassed to be a New Zealander watching the Bledisloe Cup game on Saturday night. The booing of Quade Cooper goes to show that the trans-Tasman relationship is immature.
It goes to show that while Australia might share a father-son rivalry with the Brits, New Zealand has become a little brat cousin.
Hearing the boorish behaviour of All Black fans gives all the reasons for Australia to continue to turn their back on us.
Australia might be our nearest neighbour but we aren't theirs. Australia might be guilty of underarm tactics in the past but, in reality, Australia doesn't really care. Aussies want to win and know how to win.
Australia likes to rib New Zealand because we take notice. When we react, they just laugh at us.
Peter FitzSimons has made a career poking fun at New Zealand because we take it on board. He symbolises the smug/cocky Aussie that riles the New Zealand underdog psyche.
Aussies will always have the psychological advantage over us if we continue to react. The sports where New Zealanders expect to win handsomely are sports where we excel. Where we react rather than lead is a losing attitude.
Don't let our national game - or any game - fall to the level of fans booing players that we know our players are better than athletically and mentally.