No Dead Rubbers Here

Major League Baseball's World Series is a best-of-seven series, but of course they don't bother to play them all if someone "clinches" the series by winning four games before all seven are played. Similarly, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League finals don't bother playing more once they know who has won the series. These leagues' playoff matches leading up to the final follow a similar format, the idea being that there's no need to keep playing once a series winner is determined.

Considering that logic, the format of July's two biggest three-match series in rugby league and rugby union might seem a bit odd to Americans. The British and Irish Lions tour culminates in a best-of-three test match series against the hosting nation, and the State of Origin interstate series is a best-of-three as well. This year, both series were "clinched" after two matches. On the Lions' tour, South Africa won two in a row against the visitors while Queensland won the first two Origin matches against New South Wales. That left the final matches of both series with the derogatory "dead rubber" title. Competitors and fans were left with two matches that meant nothing to the series outcome.

One might ask: "Why bother playing them if they don't matter?" The dead rubbers don't matter to the series, sure, but have a look at these clips from the third matches of the two series and see if you think they didn't matter:

British and Irish Lions match three:


State of Origin match three:


Dead rubbers indeed!