The Great Quade Debate

Ever since last weekends, game in Sydney, the great Quade debate has continued on from where it left off after the Super Rugby semi final in Christchurch earlier this year. The love hate relationship we as Kiwi rugby supporters seem to have with QC has of course been for a number of years, its been well documented and seems to continually find its way into the spotlight.

As a Kiwi born - Australian rugby player, we have always seemingly had an opinion about Quade, both his on and off field antics. 

It all seemed to start when the Wallabies scored the match winning try in a Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup match at the end of 2010, QC deciding to show his arrogance and give our All Black skipper Richie McCaw a shove well after the whistle. As they say, the fire was lit. It continued into 2011 prior to the RWC with a casual knee to the face, again directed at our All Black captain. 

You would assume, that being a Kiwi born bloke, he would know the high regard we have for our All Blacks in general, let alone our Captain, and as it may be one of our greatest ever players. He never has apologised or shown remorse for these 2 incidents which has raised the issue of wether crowds booing him at recent games is called for. After the semi-final at the RWC 2011 Graham Henry summed up his behaviour "I think Quade's brought a fair amount of it on himself. I think u've got to earn respect", something QC has yet to achieve. 

The reception in Christchurch earlier this year during Super Rugby was inevitable, there is one thing Cantabrian's love, its rugby, and lets face it when you go after our captain, a Cantabrian boy you will always get a rough reception. But to top this off his comments at the end of last year towards then Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was probably the cherry at the top of the cake. Calling the Wallabies team a "toxic environment" and blaming the lack of player input and inadequate training for their downfalls, was basically a stab in the back to Deans, again a Canterbury legend. 

It was after these comments were made that I came to the realisation that QC seems to feel like he is bigger than the team. It is these type of comments that would not be made my our All Blacks or Super Rugby players, a bit of humility and modesty wouldn't go astray from many of the Wallabies.

I have booed at sporting events, I think the majority of us have. However with Wallabies No 7 Michael Hooper's remarks after last weekends reception in Sydney, many have asked for the booing to stop. I would like to point out however that many reports from the game, it wasnt just the All Black supporters booing QC. After all he is still a Queenslander playing in NSW. 

With that being said however, does it make us look unsportsmanlike, perhaps by booing we have lowered ourselves to his level. 

Perhaps this weekend we should make a stand. Enough's enough. We have taunted him and now its possibly time to just focus all our attention and and support behind our own team.

With that being said, I will still be not secretly rooting for him to fail. It is just so entertaining, we just love to hate QC and the Wallabies.

All Black everything.