I am not the most avid sports fan. I love Gator football of course, and I like the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Dolphins, The Red Sox and even kinda sorta, the USF Bulls. I enjoy being at those games more than watching them on TV but who doesn't? I have found a sport I like watching just as much as being a part of the crowd. RUGBY. It's spectacular. Something about the energy on the field while the players are waging battle against each other is really exciting. I think it is truly fun to watch and I can imagine being a part of the crowd is even better.
This past Sunday (yesterday), Joseph and I got together with some friends and about 150 of their friends to watch the Rugby World Cup. For some history of the sport click here. I think of it as being similar to American football, only without pads and with a higher caliber man playing it. Not a better man, just very well built for as physical as the game is. I know I'm off on that description but [as a girl] I get the right to say that. Not to mention the players are amazingly...athletic. Not an ounce of fat on them and they move like machines across the field and plow right into each other from yards away.
I don't really know enough about the sport to have a favorite team but that doesn't stop me from having one. My favorite is New Zealand. The men who play this dangerous yet extremely exhilarating and energetic game are fantastic at it.
My favorite part of the entire game is when New Zealand performs the Haka before the game starts.
The Haka is a traditional Maori war dance from New Zealand. There are thousands of Haka that are performed by various tribes and cultural groups throughout New Zealand. The best known Haka of them is called "Ka Mate". It has been performed by countless New Zealand teams both locally and internationally. It puts a smile on my face and goosebumps on my arms and legs. It's really an awe-inspiring couple of minutes. It certainly gets the crowd revved up and you can see by the players intense faces and their body language it really is a "war dance" for the game.
Here is a video of yesterday's game of New Zealand performing the Haka. Notice how France walks toward NZ as if about to challenge them. Please also look at the facial expressions. They are great.
"Haka's are challenges and you're basically laying down the gauntlut to the opposite side. You know, 'let's go to battle' and the winner walks away. In Rugby, the winner walks away with the points." --Wayne Shelford, All Blacks NZ Rugby Team 1985-90.
The Haka is meant to be powerful and really fearsome. I think the All Blacks have achieved their goal and they really did walk away with the points yesterday.
Go New Zealand! Great game.
Rugby World Cup
France vs. New Zealand
Score: 7-8
October 23, 2011
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