rugby: Who are you rooting for?

Each time one of these NZ derbies rolls round I'm never sure who I'll be cheering for until kickoff arrives. Sometimes I'm not even sure who I'll be cheering for come halftime. Will it be the Blues? Will it be the Crusaders? the Chiefs? the Hurricanes? Highlanders? And when I do know who I'm cheering for I don't know why I'm cheering for them....I just find myself doing it.

Was surprised to see the Super format go to double derbies because that's "what the people want". Must be because I am from outside the big 5 provinces that I don't have that neighbourhood rivalry to get me up for the derbies. I come from the Crusaders' "catchment", Tasman. I much prefer to see a NZ team rocking it up versus an Australian or South African counterpart. That's what gets my blood warm. But apparently it's these national derbies that put bums on seats, not national pride. The new format doesn't do NZ any favours, of course. Look at it this way: the Brumbies may get to skip the Chiefs altogether and play both the Force and Rebels twice, yet the Crusaders would not get the Rebels at all but have to front up twice versus the Chiefs. Current format big win for the Aussie sides, and last year also the Saffers (not this year....Kings have stood up, and Cheetahs are right up there).

This morning I downloaded the Chiefs-Crusaders(on account of SKYitalia showing the mammoth total of 1 Super game per week)....had no idea who I would be supporting. Probably about half an hour in I noticed my heart was with the Chiefs. I enjoyed it when Cruden charged down NZ's pin-up boy, Carter....and I loved it in the dying stages when he skipped round him to help set up the match winning, bonus point stealing, penalty. And this time I knew why. Everytime I hear the, blight on the NZ game, Canty supporters start coming out of the woodwork with their vitriol and hating anything Auckland (or anyone who doesn't think Toxic Robbie is all that) it really gets my back up. Henry criticised the refereeing but thank god someone prominent had the balls to do it, ...and he receives a backlash from SANZAR, and every man and his dog in Canterbury. Ali Williams announces his international retirement and, despite being a great servant of the game, a great AB, AND a 1year Crusader...only manages to squeeze yet more crap out of the grey garden city.