Kiwi movie star Julian Dennison is throwing serious shade at Australian cricketers in a new advert for Lynx New Zealand.
The Hunt For The Wilderpeople actor stars in the three minute TV spot, continuing a storyline started in his first commercial for the deodorant brand which aired earlier this year.
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Dennison plays a character called Humphrey, whose hard-earned relationship with crush Rachel Peckham comes under threat when a new Aussie boy arrives on the scene.
Humphrey describes his new nemesis as "an actual Aussie - like, actually from Australia".
After ditching his empty can of Lynx Australia in favour of Lynx New Zealand, he aims to settle the trans-Tasman beef once and for all with a hand ball tournament.
At the crucial game point moment, Humphrey's Aussie opponent is shown handing off the ball to his accomplice, who promptly takes to it with sandpaper.
The referee whispers to Dennison's character: "Hey bro, I don't wanna alarm you or anything, but I think they're fiddling with that ball again, eh?
The Deadpool 2 star replies: "What do you expect? They're Aussies."
The skit references the infamous moment Australian cricket player Cameron Bancroft was caught by television cameras as he attempted to rough up one side of the ball during a test match against South Africa.
The joke has garnered mixed reactions, with many praising the commercial's take on the scandal.
"As an Australian this is amazing. I lost it at the ball tampering joke. [Lynx has] really stepped up their ad game," one comment read on the ad's YouTube page.
However, some viewers didn't see the funny side.
"The ball tampering joke was a bit unnecessary in my opinion and they kind of put all Australians into a basket and called them 'the bad guys,'" one person wrote.
Another comment called the gag "a bit racist".
Some viewers defended the joke, chalking it up to friendly banter that shouldn't be taken to heart.
"Us Aussies and New Zealanders are like brothers - we bicker and fight but we support each other to the end," read one comment.
Newshub.
