The Rugby World Cup in New Zealand seems like a distant memory now, over for four days and a bit now. Too bad we have to wait four more years, but there’s always Six Nations, Super Rugby and Tri Nations afterwards.
Looking back at the final, it seems the most memorable moment happened before the first kick was taken, of French players standing up to the All Blacks’ Haka and moving up close, accepting the challenge. Personally, I love it when teams do more than just stand around and let the All Blacks’ players do their thing. They maybe the biggest name and thing in this sport, but it doesn’t mean they’re sacred.
Great things happen when teams don’t just stand around. The atmosphere is ten folds better. There’s no doubt in my mind New Zealand player prefer it when they’re challenged. It gets your juices flowing, pumped up, and ready to hit some stuff. All in legal fashion of course. But the IRB decided to fine France £2,500 for their actions. A shame, and kind of a mockery, ruining something that’s good for the sport.
3 responses to “The Joke of Fining France for Standing Up to Haka”
France has always stand up and face NZ during the Haka. It was a great intro for a world cup final.
check that video of 2007, WC quater final : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikIS9Ztvbpg
Now, it’s all about intimidation.
I’m no big rugby fan and I’ve come to understand that the refree is the boss and you do not complain about him. (Chabal got suspended 2 months because he publicly said that some refree were not professionals.)
So I will just say that the refree for the final was awful. We all knew that a south-hemisphere refree will be very different than a north one. In the end, I have a feeling NZ was arbitrate by a south one and France by a north one.
McCaw is an incredible player but he’s also a real **** always doing fouls.
Nonetheless, i’m happy they are world champion and won at home.
And btw. we won the toss and could have play in dark blue.
So being finned for a lack of “fairplay” is just stupid from IRB
@Sando I don’t know about the ref, but the decision to fine the French is Idiotic. That moment in 2007 and in other games just takes the test matches intensity into another level. France should have played in Dark Blue just to piss off the All Blacks. Nothing like a little bit of head games pre-match.