In Battle between Britain and Australia…South Africans Rule!

An Australian newspaper caused outrage yesterday by publishing an article that brandished the headline “Beware, the Brits are about to become unbearable”.

The article – written by Candace Sutton – is both provocative and tongue-in-cheek…acknowledging the Brits have a lot to be proud of lately (a soon-to-be royal birth, Wimbledon win and Tour de France success), it then goes on to provide a “pocket reminder” of things that the roughly 100,000 Australians living in Britain should remind the Brits.

The list includes the weather (of course), beer (“gnat’s piss”), beaches (“tragic”) and economy (“down the toilet”).

Not quite appreciating the Aussie humour, the British press have retaliated with their own list of Five Reasons why Britain is Brilliant (London, Shakespeare and more) and Five Reasons why Australia is Inferior (animals that kill, too far away, nothing on TV).

And after both bashing each other – there’s only one triumphant winner – South Africa. As the Australian article says:

“And if the Poms win the cricket, remind them who Keven Pietersen, Jon Trott and Matt Prior are. They’re South Africans.

English cricket has been stealing South Africans for decades. Think of the late, great Tony Greig, the magnificent South African spin bowler who captained England from 1975-77, after which he was stolen by Australian mogul Kerry Packer to start up World Series Cricket.

So there.”

So there we are indeed! Forget Aussie Rules! South Africa Rules!