Rugby's greatest rivals

[Versus]

Australia don't care about New Zealand, they care about beating England.

I couldn't name the best, many involve England, Boks vs All Blacks is the biggest for those two countries.

 

[Versus]

What about England vs Scotland? The oldest ever fixture? Massive battle with that, every time they play.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

You missed Wales vs. England ...

 

[Versus]

You missed Wales vs. England ...

With Wales it is more about the All Blacks, because of the history, they each feel like they were robbed of a victory. 1905 for the All Blacks and the 1978 game?? I think, when the lock fell down deliberately to get New Zealand the penalty to win the game.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd say England/Wales as well,
From an English point of view at least. There's a lot more hype/excitement over playing Wales than any other nation, and it's the match most people look forward to the most in the 6N.

 

[Jer1cho]

With Wales there there's no guarantee of South Africa finishing top of their group at all.

I lol'd. Thanks for that. *Gloats*

 

[Teh Mite]

England vs *anyone*?

Nobody likes us.

 

[User1245]

England vs *anyone*?

Nobody likes us.

And I'm sure you's wouldn't have it any other way

 

[Gorman]

No way

Good idea for a topic. Silly poll options.

The big rivals in the 6Nations are England vs France, England vs Scotland, England vs Wales and England vs Ireland. I've bolded the two most intense ones.

The big international rivalries from the 3N would be New Zealand vs Australia and New Zealand vs South Africa, but the Bledisloe I'd say is the most intense.

Then there's England vs Australia, England vs New Zealand, and England vs South Africa. The Currie Cup is the largest.

So, in order, I'd say the biggest rivalries in international rugby are:

1. England vs Wales
2. England vs. France
3. Australia vs. New Zealand
4. Australia vs. England
5. England vs. Scotland/ Ireland

I just laughed at that post.To say ENG v WAL is the greatest rivalry is just ignorance .anybody with an inch of rugby knowledge would have to say the greatest rugby rivalry in the world is and will always be the Springboks vs. The All Blacks, New Zealand and South Africa live rugby,bleed rugby and love rugby.We have great respect for each other and if New Zealand ,Australia or any southern hemisphere team plays against a northern hemisphere teams I back them 100%,but on game day we are arch enemies,There in no greater importance than beating the old black enemy and I am sure they see it the same way.

Lets just face the facts , Northern hemisphere rugby will never be on the same level as the 3 main southern hemisphere teams (SA,NZ,AUS) ,In the 6 world cups held, only once did a NH team manage to win.The top 3 spots on the IRB rankings are consistently held between them and the head to head records against the NH teams speak for themselve .If you look at the many aspects of the game there is just no match against SA and NZ ,Where in world rugby will you find any team who can match them physically or out play them when it comes to running rugby.The NH strings four nations in to one team and they still cant manage to beat us.And I will go as far as to say summarize the top 3 players in each position in world rugby and at least two spots will be held by an SH player if not all of them.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So England and Wales don't care about rugby, don't put any passion into it and are just generally terrible and should never play, watch or talk about it ever again?
Gotcha chief!

 

[Gorman]

So England and Wales don't care about rugby, don't put any passion into it and are just generally terrible and should never play, watch or talk about it ever again?
Gotcha chief!

I never said that,all Im saying is that there is more interest in rugby here then in any NH country,For example the New Zealand economy falls a few points after an AB loss .In Britain rugby takes 3rd place after football and cricket

 

[zeno]

Rugby is definately more popular than Cricket in Britain. (Well depending on the region)

 

[Sker]

This fighting is silly, it's a matter of opinion.

Idiots.

In my OPINION, I think SA vs NZ in terms of internationals (because I'm SA) and provincial teams here: Bulls vs WP/Freestate (Currie Cup, not Super Rugby)

If I would have to hazard a guess I'd say it's Munster vs Leinster in Ireland? I'm just guessing after reading some Munster vs Leinster threads I have no clue about club rugby in Wales/Scotland/England.

NH biggest rivalry seemed to be England vs France but after reading this thread it seems to be Eng vs Wales. I actually didn't know that. Question to the English guys, what match would psych you more? Wales or France?

Cross hemisphere: Eng vs Aus/SA vs Eng/NZ vs France

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I just laughed at that post.To say ENG v WAL is the greatest rivalry is just ignorance .anybody with an inch of rugby knowledge would have to say the greatest rugby rivalry in the world is and will always be the Springboks vs. The All Blacks, New Zealand and South Africa live rugby,bleed rugby and love rugby.We have great respect for each other and if New Zealand ,Australia or any southern hemisphere team plays against a northern hemisphere teams I back them 100%,but on game day we are arch enemies,There in no greater importance than beating the old black enemy and I am sure they see it the same way.

Lets just face the facts , Northern hemisphere rugby will never be on the same level as the 3 main southern hemisphere teams (SA,NZ,AUS) ,In the 6 world cups held, only once did a NH team manage to win.The top 3 spots on the IRB rankings are consistently held between them and the head to head records against the NH teams speak for themselve .If you look at the many aspects of the game there is just no match against SA and NZ ,Where in world rugby will you find any team who can match them physically or out play them when it comes to running rugby.The NH strings four nations in to one team and they still cant manage to beat us.And I will go as far as to say summarize the top 3 players in each position in world rugby and at least two spots will be held by an SH player if not all of them.

I hope you laughed yourself all the way into yourself looking silly.

Its not ignorance as you put it, I call you ignorant and that post smacks ignorance all over it.

Good to see you bleed rugby and love rugby. Most countries are the same I really hate people who come on here and say stuff like that and make the readers assume that NH rugby has no passion or love for the game. Wales main sport is rugby. Produced some of the finest players to ever play the game. The rivalry with England goes on for years and years throughout history. Its a part of Wales' history with is rivalry with England. So annoyed with this post its unreal. Presume its another WUM / Troll.

Cricket only gets bigged up in the UK when England are winning. When they are losing it takes a back seat.

 

[TrueSlawter]

For me as I'm welsh it has to be Wales v England. Personally its the game I most look forward to in the 6N. Winning trophies and world rankings doesn't have anything to do with rivalries, they are based on history between the two nations etc.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

NH biggest rivalry seemed to be England vs France but after reading this thread it seems to be Eng vs Wales. I actually didn't know that. Question to the English guys, what match would psych you more? Wales or France?

Wales, every single time.
I don't think there'd be many England fans that'd say otherwise either

 

[William18]

Surely there is more history in New Zealand vs South Africa than in any other rivalry? On a consistent basis we have been the two best rugby nations over the last 100 years. I think also what gives that rivalry the edge over England vs Wales is that there were tours which meat that there were meaningful test series rather than just one off games. I mean, the 1981 tour is still etched into our culture and we spent a fair bit of time covering it when I was in school.

The only people who would say that Australia vs NZ is the biggest rivalry would be Australians. Our rivalry is strong but is only based on geographical reasons. A rivalry is far more intense when their is actual hate involved like Pakistan vs India or Israel vs Iran.

 

[Charles]

Surely there is more history in New Zealand vs South Africa than in any other rivalry? On a consistent basis we have been the two best rugby nations over the last 100 years. I think also what gives that rivalry the edge over England vs Wales is that there were tours which meat that there were meaningful test series rather than just one off games. I mean, the 1981 tour is still etched into our culture and we spent a fair bit of time covering it when I was in school.

The only people who would say that Australia vs NZ is the biggest rivalry would be Australians. Our rivalry is strong but is only based on geographical reasons. A rivalry is far more intense when their is actual hate involved like Pakistan vs India or Israel vs Iran.

I think what gives the edge to NH rivalries is that we have been fighting against each other for more or less 1000 years. It's not just about the rugby, it's about everything...So far, France is winning in food and weather

I rest my case.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I LOL at most of the posts on here; people citing 'facts' to demonstrate in some bizarre way what has to be one of the most subjective topics there could be in rugby.

For me as a South African it is obviously SA vs NZ, WP/Stormers vs Northern Tranvaal/Bulls and Paarl Gymnasium vs Paarl Boy's High but I won't disagree with an Englishman or Welshman saying it is Wales vs England or whatever.

The Nz/SA and WP/Bulls rivalries have massive history but has suffered somewhat since the game went pro; SA had dark days for close to a decade after the RWC 1995 and we really let slip against NZ in that time (up to the 1980's SA had 4 matches over NZ from there on out NZ have been totally dominant with SA only being able to beat them in patches with the blackest years the ones between 2000 and 2004) only recently being able to compete again. WP/Bulls the same as the Bulls were easy beats and when they started to pick up we became the easy beats and only in the last 2 years or so has the competition really started up again as I don't see a competition as a rivalry if the teams aren't somewhat a match for each other.



To each his own and what does it matter if your rivalry is 'greater' than the other or not?

 

[Muzzy]

in recent years its been nz and south africa, but overall greatest rivals would have to be nz and australia. its just that australia have fallen off recently