Rugby - New Zealand's Big Game
Credit for the introduction of rugby to New Zealand goes to Charles John Monro, who, though born in Nelson, was educated at Christ's College in England, where he also learned to play rugby.
On his return he introduced the new-fangled game to his local football club who rapidly adopted it as their own. From these small beginnings, interest in the game took off and soon spread throughout New Zealand.
Although unions were formed in Canterbury and Wellington in 1879, it was not until 1892 that the New Zealand Rugby Football Union was set up to manage the game at a national level. Since 1893, New Zealand has sent teams throughout the world and it’s now pretty safe to say that most people worldwide have heard of the All Blacks (even if they’re not entirely sure where New Zealand itself is).
All Blacks
It was nearly 100 years ago in 1905 that the All Blacks first swept through Britain and Europe, displaying a style of rugby that took the other nations by surprise. The ball was kept in hand and passed for the fastest to run with, rather than kicked for them to chase. Shots at goal were declined in favour of spinning it wide or crashing it forward. Fear of the black jersey and the fierce haka was born.
World Sevens
One of the most exciting versions of Rugby is Sevens - played by seven players for seven minutes each half. Tournaments are played in all corners of the globe including Dubai, George (South Africa), Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bordeaux, London and of course, New Zealand itself. This is a frenetic two days of activity, which in reality is more of a party than a sporting occasion.
Tri Nations
The Tri Nations is an annual international rugby union series held between Australia's Wallabies, New Zealand's All Blacks and South Africa's Springboks. The Tri Nations competition is organized by SANZAR, a consortium formed by the rugby governing bodies of Australia's ARU, New Zealand's NZRFU and South Africa's SARFU.
The first tournament was contested in 1996 and was won by the All Blacks. Since the inception of the Tri Nations series the games played between Australia and New Zealand also determine the winner of the Bledisloe Cup each year.
Super 14
The Super 14 is an exapnded version of the Super 12 which started in 1996. For the 2006 season the tournament was expanded from 12 teams to 14 teams. The tournament is broadcasted in 41 countries. The Super 14 is currently contested by fourteen teams.
New Zealand
Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes
Australia
Brumbies, Force, Waratahs and Reds
South Africa
Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers
The Crusaders have won the Super 12 five times (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005) as well as the first Super 14 (2006) and last season's Super 14 (2008). The season starts in late February and the finals are in late May.
Air New Zealand Cup
The Air New Zealand Cup is New Zealand's professional domestic rugby union competition. It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship (NPC) was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC now compete in the amateur Heartland Championship. The Air New Zealand Cup is held annually. 14 provincial teams participate, and they each play ten round-robin games.
Rugby World Cup 2011
Rugby World Cup 2011 will be hosted at thirteen venues across New Zealand from Friday 9 September to Sunday 23 October, 2011.
New Zealand Haka
Many people associate New Zealand with the fierce "haka" that the All Blacks rugby team perform before playing. This is just one of many haka that are performed by the tribes of New Zealand. They can be a sign of defiance, of achievement, or tell a story. The most famous is the All Black Haka "Ka mate".
There is some controversy over its origins, although the Tainui tribe are firm in their claim that it originated with a mighty warrior Te Rauparaha.
Te Rauparaha went to Taupo to get help against his troublesome neighbours from the tribe of Tuwharetoa. He was unsuccessful and was returning home when he was almost ambushed by an enemy tribe who lay in wait. Pursued by his enemies, the warrior sought protection from a local chief, Te Wharerangi. Finally the chief agreed to hide him in the kumara (sweet potato) pit. His wife placed a mat over the lid of the pit and sat on top.
The pursuers burst into the village and asked the chief whether he had seen Te Rauparaha. In the pit Te Rauparaha recited to himself, "Ka mate! Ka mate!" (It is death for me). But the chief told his enemies that he had fled. Te Ruaparaha relaxed and whispered "Ka ora, Ka ora!" (I live!). Again the enemy questioned the chief about Te Rauparaha and he replied the same. Te Rauparaha sat in the dark repeating his own words of despair and hope.
Finally convinced, the enemy rushed out of the village to find Te Rauparaha.
Te Wharerangi flung back the lid and Te Rauparaha sprang to his feet in triumph, exclaiming:
Ka mate ka mate
It is death, it is death
Ka ora ka ora
I live, I live
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death, it is death
Ka ora ka ora
I live, I live
Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru
Behold the brave man
Nana nei I tiki mai whakawhiti te ra
Who has caused the sun to shine again
Aue upane Au kaupane
Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane
Up and up
Whiti te ra
Into the light of the sun
This haka of triumph has been performed on many of the great sporting battlefields of the world and will continue to motivate the performers and intimidate the opponents.