©
Alexandra Maillet
New Zealand Travel Guide
©
Alexandra Maillet
In a country of extreme sports, none comes close to the popularity of rugby, the national sport of New Zealand. The oval ball has become an institution (or should I say a religion!), and every match played by the national team, known as the All Blacks, is marked by the kind of national fervour which you won't see in many other places.
Lovers of the sport know that when you think of rugby, you think of New Zealand.
The history of this sport is closely linked to the history of the Maori and the country. You can therefore understand why rugby is now an essential part of New Zealand, its traditions and its future.
The impressive sporting results of the national team have something to do with it. It was in 1905 that the All Blacks first performed the Haka, a Maori dance, in front of their opponents.
More than just a dance, the Ka Mate is considered a bridge between the Maori and the white population of New Zealand.
With the intention of motivating the team and intimidating their opponents, the Haka is also performed by the national basketball team.
The All Blacks' opponents adopt different approaches in the face of the impressive Haka, which is performed at the start of every match. The 'wall' made by the French team in response to their opponents' war dance before the 2011 final will long be remembered.
New Zealanders know that Saturday is rugby day! In front of the television or in the stadiums, their passion for the oval ball is passed down generation to generation. There are more than 600 amateur clubs in New Zealand, a country whose population is under 4.5 million. You have to say that the performances of the New Zealand XV are impressive, and the team are often favourites to win.
The sport is full of symbols, such as the players' kit. Completely black (to mourn their opponents...), the kit is also embroidered with a small, silver fern leaf, a symbol of the country. It was at the start of the 20th century that the national team's players became known as the All Blacks, in reference to the colour of their kit.
A kit which is, by the way, the same for home matches and away matches. A unique privilege in the sporting world. There are several legendary stadiums in New Zealand, with Eden Park in Auckland surely being the best known of all.
The country's largest stadium, it hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and in 2011 (a tournament won by New Zealand against France). During your trip to New Zealand, make sure you put a match at this legendary stadium on your to-do list.
National identity, commercial success and a means of integration - rugby in New Zealand can claim to have succeeded in all these regards. An outstanding example which journalists still write about around the world.
