Consider these results:
New Zealand victories
Rugby World Cup - New Zealand beat Australia
Netball - New Zealand beat Australia
World Scrabble - New Zealander Nigel Richards beat Australia's Andrew Fisher.
http://therandomfact.com/new-zealand-winner-of-world-scrabble-championships-in-controversial-tournament/2210053/
Australian Victories
Rugby League - Australia beat New Zealand
(At the International Hockey 9's Super Series)
Kookaburras beat New Zealand
Hockeyroos defeated New Zealand
Such rivalry…New Zealand with 4.5 million, the population of Sydney, up against Australia, a population of 22 million.
The noticeable aspect of this information is the dearth of populations of both nations. USA of similar area size of Australia has 350 millions, and Indonesia just above Australia has 186 millions.
These two antipodean nations, New Zealand and Australia, with very small populations have such a competitive spirit, reveals a number of factors about their characters and geographical positions:
The British origins of Australia and New Zealand provides rivalry.
The British origins of exploration and settlement give rise for a competitive spirit
Being small populations with a lands to settle and farm brings with it a formidable spirit.
Australia and New Zealand have bonds in War, ANZAC.
Geographical proximity gave rise to early international competition in sport.
Bonds bring rivalry and Ministry
These bonds are also gave rise rivalry. New Zealanders love to beat Australia at anything. Sport, Tourism, Commerce, Business, Scrabble ….. you name it.
Surprisingly, many New Zealanders settle in Australia which they considered the land of milk and honey, and many Australians have relocated to New Zealand searching for what they consider to be a lost social equation.
There are many New Zealand trained Ministers / Pastors ministering in Australia, and similarly Australian trained Ministers / Pastors in New Zealand.
On those occasions I've ministered in New Zealand, even during my 17 years when the Australian cricket team chaplain and I travelled accompanying the team's training sessions, I encountered many Australian pastors. I've enjoyed speaking many men's dinners and breakfasts, high schools and universities and visiting the New Zealand Academy of Sport. Yes, even in Footplate Padre ministry.