The day Aussies go wild. Yes, it’s none other than the rugby league match held once each year between the New South Wales and Queensland teams. The two teams – New South Wales in blue jerseys (called “the Blues”) and Queensland in reddish-brown jerseys (called “the Maroons”) – play three games every year during this time to compete for the championship. The dates for this year’s games are June 1, June 22 and July 13. The teams are made up of players selected from the national rugby league of Australia totaling 16 teams, and the match is similar to the Japanese baseball All-Star game between the Central League and the Pacific League, but the way people get excited for the match has a unique Australian feel. From the day before the match to the day of and the day after, the media news including TV from morning to evening and newspapers are all focused on the rugby match. I live in Gold Coast, Queensland, so naturally the city becomes maroon everywhere. Brisbane, located 70km north of Gold Coast, likewise becomes full of people wearing maroon colors because there is a rugby team called the Broncos with a long history, and their team color is also maroon. On the night of the match, heaps of people gather in sports bars and pubs throughout the city to watch the game on the large screen. With a beer in one hand, they root for their teams, “come on boys!” or “Go Queensland!” and they boo when the opposing team commits a foul. Fans are so enthusiastic that even when watching the game on TV in their own homes, you can still hear the rooting from your neighbors after a goal.