Why is Australia so crazy about rugby?
I have heard many times that Australians are absolutely crazy about this sport, but I kept asking myself: why? Why are Australians so passionate about a game that, at first, made no sense to me? Why do people of all ages play rugby on every beach? Rugby balls and the presence of rugby can be felt everywhere. Therefore, when I got the opportunity to see my very first rugby match live, I wanted to finally fulfill my curiosity and decided to go to the stadium for the first time. Together with lots of ICMS students, we made our way there. Already on the streets, the excitement was obvious, as everyone was talking about the fact that this would be the first sold-out game in a long time. Around 42,000 people headed into the Allianz Stadium in Sydney on a Saturday afternoon. Wallabies (Australia) against the Pumas (Argentina). The first question that came to my mind was: why do these teams name themselves after animals? And in fact, there‘s a symbolism behind it. The Wallabies represent Australia‘s wildlife and national pride, while the Pumas have been Argentina‘s nickname since the 1960s, standing for strength and fighting spirit.
Looking into people‘s faces, the anticipation was huge. Finally, the Rugby Championship was back. For those who don‘t know what this is: you can think of it as the Champions League of the Southern Hemisphere, but with national teams instead of football clubs. It was an important match. Then, finally, 10 minutes before kick-off, we entered the stadium. I had to stop for a moment and take it all in. The entire stadium was glowing with the Wallabies‘ colors (gold and green), but plenty of Argentinian fans were there too. After finally fighting our way to our seats, it began. The air was crackling with tension, and I had no idea what to expect. The players were welcomed by thunderous cheers from the Wallabies‘ supporters, and fire cannons shot up around the stadium. When the national anthems followed, I got goosebumps at both the Argentinian and the Australian anthem. The passion and love for their country with which people sang left me speechless.
And then the game was on: 80 minutes of pure adrenaline, split into two halves. I realized straight away that the little knowledge I had picked up from ChatGPT wasn‘t nearly enough to really understand such a complex sport. Rugby is so much more than 30 players running at each other and trying to tackle. At first, I didn‘t understand much, but little by little the game started to make sense, and every time points were scored the entire stadium exploded with applause and cheers. The Argentinian fans, who were clearly in the minority, had plenty to celebrate. Their team made the most of Australia‘s many penalties and took an early lead. The Wallabies fought back hard in the second half with strong attacks, but in the end, it wasn‘t enough: Argentina won narrowly, 28:26. What surprised me though, unlike in football, there were no clashes between rival fans and no devastated Wallabies supporters after the final whistle. Everyone came together to simply enjoy rugby. That‘s what makes rugby so special in Australia. It‘s about much more than 80 minutes of play, it represents community, pride, and that unmistakable Australian spirit.
After the match we were allowed to go down onto the pitch and get close to the teams. That was a very special moment. Afterwards, together with many ICMS students, we ended the evening at a rooftop bar overlooking the Sydney skyline.
All in all, it was a beautiful, eye-opening, and exciting day that showed me the sides of a completely new sport, which in its own way is absolutely fascinating.
If you‘re into sports and curious about trying something completely new, I can only recommend experiencing this atmosphere for yourself. Then you‘ll understand firsthand why Australians are so crazy about this sport. With ticket prices around 20€, you definitely won‘t regret the stadium visit! I‘d do it again in a heartbeat!
