One of sport’s greatest rivalries, Australia v England, is as fierce as ever according to the results of the latest rugby.com.au poll.
England were labelled a clear winner, after Qantas Wallabies fans were asked which of the four nations that contribute to the British & Irish Lions team do they enjoy seeing their side defeat the most.
The final results of this week’s poll suggest a whopping 84% of fans love seeing the old foe defeated by the Qantas Wallabies, with Wales coming a distant second with just 9% of the vote followed by Ireland with 5% and Scotland just 3%.
Right from the very start England led the poll, jumping to almost 50% more votes than any of the other three sides on the first day it was posted on rugby.com.au.
England’s shock win over the All Blacks over the weekend left many an Aussie fan contemplating whether they were friend or foe. However the victory undoubtedly incited an increased desire to beat the English.
Their enthralling win over New Zealand, following losses to South Africa and Australia in the recent November international Tests makes for a more interesting 2013 Lions Tour to Australia as a team that forms part of the the British & Irish Lions squad.
The fans desire to defeat the old foe was further enhanced following the announcement at the beginning of this week that Australia would face England in the pool matches of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The arch rivalry between Australian and English sport is steeped in history, with several moments of English triumph cementing Australian’s desire to see the mother country sent packing. None more so than the infamous ‘drop goal’ of Johnny Wilkinson in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final that saw the English snatch what would have been a home town win from the Australians in the dying seconds.
The intense and long-standing battle between the two nations, which attracts a lot of passion and banter on and off the field, will intensify leading up to and during next year’s British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia.
Fans are encouraged to show their support for the Aussie teams in next year’s Lions Tour to Australia by helping to create a sea of gold to take on the Red army of British & Irish tourists that typically accompany a Lions Tour.
With this year’s Spring Tour now over, the next Qantas Wallabies Test will be against the British & Irish Lions, the first since 2001, as part of the 2013 Lions Tour to Australia.
Fans can continue to have their say thanks to the rugby.com.au weekly poll, with this week’s question asking fans to cast their memories back 12 years. With the British and Irish Lions now officially the next challenge for the Qantas Wallabies fans are being asked to vote for who they think was the most memorable player of the 2001 British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia, George Smith, Martin Johnson, Joe Roff or Jason Robinson?