Francesca Rudkin: There's nothing like sport to unite the country

Growing up, my mother used to say that life is 95 percent anticipation. It’s in the wait, the build-up and the preparation where the joy is often found. Often the actual event is a let-down.   That was not how I felt at 9pm last night. Well done to the All Blacks. But I loved the leadup to last night’s win at Eden Park. I was excited when I got up yesterday morning and I found myself looking for things to do to help make the day go faster. Even for those who aren’t fans, surely there was a little curiosity about how things were going to turn out at the fortress last night.   It was the most anticipated All Blacks game of the season. A battle against our greatest and most respected foe, at a venue with an impressive legacy. The All Blacks and the Springboks were playing for The Rugby Championship, but, as the general sense of excitement around the country indicated, there is so much more than that - this is one of the great rivalries in sport.   We heard about it all week - Ardie Savea’s 100th test and all the stats around Eden Park’s history. As much as John Kirwan was right, the team should focus on the match in front of them, and forget the history - there’s no doubt the All Blacks were invigorated by everything that came with the occasion.   One of the best things about sport like last night is that it’s a distraction. 2025 hasn’t quite been the cracker we’d hoped it would be and the spring weather has packed up - we needed a good night of entertainment. There's nothing like a game of sport to unite a community or country, it's a good feeling. The Tour de France got me through the short days of winter and over the last few weeks the US Open has got me dreaming I can still play tennis, the Warriors keep us guessing week after week, and the whole family has an opinion on F1 at the dinner table.   I’ve come to realise I generally love sport more than who wins or loses. If the game is good and fair and gives us a thrill then I’m happy with that. It’s just a smidgen better when it’s a Kiwi team who wins.    LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.