Another good reason to stay in Sydney (updated)

New South Wales, unlike Victoria, actually knows what Rugby Union is … and apologies to my Aussie pals, but I just can’t bring myself to barrack for the Aussies tonight – GO THE ALL BLACKS!!! 😉

Tonight is the final game for the Bledisloe Cup – the annual challenge between the Kiwis and Aussies … time will tell whether I will be cheering or crying … but regardless, the best team will win, whichever one it is.  As for me, I’m about to sit and get chills from watching the Haka 😀

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Updated to say: YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if you want to see the new Haka that the All Blacks now perform, you can check it out here (for those of you who are uninitiated, the Haka is a Maori war dance that the All Blacks perform before every match – it’s supposed to intimidate your enemy – there’s a great clip on You Tube here that tells you all about the Haka itself, and an example done in traditional Maori costume – it’s quite interesting) … hmmm, it appears WordPress doesn’t like embedded clips from YouTube – boohoo to you WordPress!!  Sorry, but you’ll have to follow the LINK if you want to see it!

To be honest, though, I still love the ‘old’ Haka … although the new one is pretty passionate, and the coverage tonight was great!  Here’s some great footage on You Tube of the ‘old’ Haka compliments of Adidas – I love this one that has intermingling shots of ‘real’ Maori warriors (not great quality though):

And if you thought that wasn’t enough, here’s another ad that’s got some great shots in it – very powerful graphics, and very well photographed in the studio!

I’m very happy about the win tonight, but I do have to say, though, I was very disappointed in the reporting coverage by Stu Wilson.  The only thing I have against living in Aussie is that I find sports coverage here very one-sided and at many times unsportsmanly (one comment I heard on the radio during the Olympics is in Aussie a sport isn’t a sport until we’ve won it) … but I have to say that Stu tonight disgusted me.  His comments at the end of the match were arrogant and uncalled-for … another reporter commented “the one thing I can’t stand is a smug Kiwi”, and I have to say I agreed with that comment … pull your head in Stu!  We were lucky with the win … it was an awesome finish – I don’t think I have any fingernails left, and the neighbours are in no doubt of my allegiances (I sounded like you tonight, Mum!).  Yes, I’m glad we won, but you don’t have to be cocky about it, Mr Wilson! mutter mutter mutter.

But I AM happy 😀

It’s funny, but I was actually singing a Maori song in the shower a few mornings ago … it’s one of the most well-known Maori songs, it should almost be the NZ anthem LOL.  Anyway, if you’re interested you can check out this clip by Hayley Westenra – it actually has a very good Maori welcome and Haka at the front of the clip, and about 3 minutes in she sings Pokarekare Ana, which is a really beautiful Maori love song.  Hope you enjoy it 🙂

And if you just want to go straight to the song itself, check out this version by Kiri Te Kanawa as part of an old Air New Zealand ad campaign … LOVE IT!!!  And if you want to sing it yourself, here’s the Maori lyrics:

Pökarekare ana
ngä wai o Waiapu,
Whiti atu koe hine
marino ana e.

E hine e
hoki mai ra.
Ka mate ahau
I te aroha e.

Tuhituhi taku reta
tuku atu taku rïngi,
Kia kite tö iwi
raru raru ana e.

OK, that’s enough from me about NZ for now! 😉