HSBC Waratahs vs. Western Force

Last Saturday (May 7th) I attended my first rugby union football game in Australia between the Waratahs and the Force at Sydney Stadium. At first glance, I anticipated the game to be very slow-paced and dependent on size. Later I would find out that I was half correct about this statement. There were many more fans than I had expected to see on a Saturday night and the atmosphere in the stadium was very exciting. Fans of all types were present including season veterans, families, and even just people looking for a good night out with the guys (myself included in this category). One thing I did notice compared to the rugby league match I attended (Roosters) was that there seemed to be a huge mix of people together. By this I mean that the fan sections did not seem as divided and there was not as big of a (drunk) crazy home fan section. This could have just been because it was a night game compared to a day one or that the sport just was not as popular among that group of people.

In contrast to what I expected about the pace of the game, it was much more brutal and exciting than I previously thought. The organization was a free-for-all in some respects compared to rugby league. I found it more exciting as the possession changed much more often and unexpectedly too. However, this system made it more difficult to score a try, and much of the early points were scored only via penalty kicks. This worked against the Waratahs (whom I was routing for), even though I found them to be a more athletic and talented squad. Towards the end of the game, however, is when they started to get down to business. As they were the bigger team with more muscle, the Waratahs just pushed through the Force with everything they had in order to make sure they got the try they needed. They were done messing around with skill and just pushed through with brute force. This amazed me and made me realize how all along the fans were almost expecting and waiting this to happen. It took something out of the experience for me with regards to the competition aspect, but I still had a great time at the game regardless. I am excited to see the "Aussie Rules" football, or AFL next week to bring the final comparison to an end. I anticipate this being my favorite of all three from the short bits I have seen and what I have learned in class.