A
sports competition in
Australia for
Rugby Union based on "The
State of Origin" style competition.
Basically this style of competition pits all the "original" state Rugby teams against each other to determine which state team is stronger and thus more worthy of being called the first state to play the game. A totally irrelevent idea, so basically an excuse for an off-season match series.
"State of Union" is a play on words - in Australia, State of Origin is used exclusively for the most debased version of Rugby - Rugby League - which has an unbelievably large and quite stupid bunch of followers. The only other equally stupid variation of the game with an equally large (and stupid) following is AFL (Australian Rules Football). Thus, to vary the concept without taking the branding but still keeping the concept, the promoters decided on "State of the Union". Nice, works well. Also grabs the attention of some of the more stupid League fans who turn up to a game and then scream "He's had more than six tackles! Hand over the ball! Ref! Ref! That dickhead is cheating! Hey REF! Whaddaya need? Glasses!"
Ahh Australians. We (mostly) really ARE that stupid.