New Zealand haka and an Irish folk song clash in a stirring Rugby World Cup moment
Rugby is a brutal sport on the field, but its warm-up showdowns can apparently be just as intense.
When the New Zealand All Blacks took the field at Tokyo Stadium on Saturday for their Rugby World Cup quarter-final showdown with Irish Rugby, they were met with some unexpected competition. From both the opposing team and their fans out in the crowd.
The All Blacks launched into their customary pre-match haka, a ceremonial dance of New Zealand's native Māori people. As the team rhythmically shouted, posed, and stamped their feet, the Irish team faced them from across the field with their arms around each other's shoulders.
You May Also Like
Meanwhile, the sound of singing welled up from the assembled crowd. Irish Rugby's fans met the haka with a group rendition of the Irish folk ballad, "The Fields of Athenry." The song is popular in the Irish rugby scene.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Some saw the singing as an act of disrespect, but most seem to agree that the pre-game showdown between the two teams was a powerful moment for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which will continue to unfold at Japan's Tokyo Stadium until the final matches on Nov. 2.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Even if the singing was some unplanned attempt to throw the All Blacks off their game, it backfired. Badly.
The New Zealand squad delivered a dominant showing on Saturday night, besting their Irish Rugby opponents by a score of 46-14. The highlight of the night for many, though, was the pre-game ceremony and the stirring show of team support it spotlighted.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
