Alright then, let's climb, break and move on to our next form of roughhousing: Rugby Union. There are of course a lot of special rules and styles and formats that make Rugby Union distinct from all the other ball-with-frightening-tackling sport codes, but I just simply know it as "The One Where the All Blacks do the awesome Haka". So there was no better place for me to break into the Union scene than catching the Bledisloe Cup, an annual best-of-three match series between titans of the sport Australia and New Zealand. Now, my rooting interests should have been with the host Aussies from the start, but goddam the All Blacks haka is so freaking COOL
even from the cheap seats I grew two chest hairs just watching it
The match itself started a bit slowly and reinforced (at least to my newbie eyes) Rugby Union's reputation as more lumbering and less action-packed than Aussie Rules or Rugby League or 'Murcan Footbaw. The Wallabies were staying close to the heavily-favored All-Blacks in a low-scoring affair, so I couldn't even bandwagon or anything. At halftime, it was Australia 6, New Zealand 5, Some Lucky Rando 1 New Car
highlight of the night
After halftime, however, HOO BOY the All-Blacks just decided enough of this and hit the NOS button and just ran off Try after Try after Try in the blink of an eye
honestly, they were so fast I got no good shots of it
At full-time it was New Zealand 38, Australia 13 (and Some Lucky Rando 1 brand new Land Rover smell). The Aussie fans were left all muttering/tweeting "What the HELL just happened?!?". Sorry, Wallabies. I feel ya, but even this newbie knows greatness when he sees it, and can now - thanks to the All Blacks' performance - better appreciate Rugby Union for the skill, power and beauty it has to offer.
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