Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Rugby World Cup Daily

Monday, September 05, 2011

Rugby World Cup Daily - The first of many

With just under a week to go before the Rugby World Cup kicks off, the hype is building as today we take a look at the first of the official Rugby World Cup Daily updates from the IRB, a feature they will continue throughout the tournament.

We've been working frantically to get the new platform live early this week, and in all likelihood this will be the last post before relaunching. What does that mean to you? Not a helluva lot, except that the next time you use the site, you'll hopefully be having a far greater experience in terms of functionality and ease of use.

The World Cup kicks off later this week, in case you hadn't noticed, and we'll be doing everything in our power to bring you the best hype, coverage, news, and interesting features throughout the tournament. You'll be able to hop on here any time of day to catch up on what's been happening, and of course discuss the matches with like-minded fans around the world.

If you don't know about it yet, we've also got a RD pool on Sportguru, where you can enter for free to predict the outcome of matches at the RWC. There are some great prizes lined up, so give it a shot to add an extra element to the tournament. Register for free here

This video is one of the official updates from the tournament, giving you and idea of what the atmosphere is like in New Zealand currently, for all of those who aren't able to attend, or are flying out shortly. Japan's Kiwi coach John Kirwan, Mike Miller of the IRB, and All Black Dan Carter all share their thoughts ahead of Friday's kick off.

Time: 06:11

All right, someone help me. Presumably the correct haka etiquette is to pick up that blade of grass or fern or whatever it is, yet when O'Driscoll did it he found himself very quickly inserted in the ground and Mike Miller here is threatened angrily with a spear. So what is the Maori reaction if you DON'T observe the correct protocol? Presumably the old throat-slit comes into play?

Trying desperately not to be a troll here, but all this "we're so grateful that the Maori are allowing us to play here" business is a little bit nauseating, in my opinion.

By Von, at September 05, 2011 5:43 pm
Whats with Italian bashing in the video :) every kick Carter conversion/ try is against Italy...

By PerkyP, at September 05, 2011 5:53 pm
NZ is definitely one of the better countries in the world: very nice people, great scenery, and a passion for rugby. Their accent is also excellent, the way they pronounce "septimber" instead of "september" ...

By moddeur, at September 05, 2011 6:15 pm
Perky...they probably only paid the TV company for the rights to one game thus using it to the full. I think if you wanted to use the 2003 Jonny Wilkinson kick on TV it would cost you thousands per second for any part of the match. Commercial stuff.

By Anonymous, at September 05, 2011 6:48 pm
No denying the man is a legend but was Dan Carter stoned?

By Anonymous, at September 05, 2011 7:42 pm
Man was supposed to be here. Even bought tickets to the cup, but got hit with a deployment to Iraq(U.S Military) :( Oh well there is always England. ON that note got 6 tickets for sell to Samoa/Fiji, and a couple for U.S vs Austria. Cheers.

By Hendrick, at September 05, 2011 7:57 pm
Sorry I meant Australia

By Hendrick, at September 05, 2011 8:00 pm
It'd be awesome if the atmosphere was anything like the Wellington 7's games.

Talk about a party!

By ignacio, at September 05, 2011 8:39 pm
great news about the website! Best rugby related news of the week if the World Cup wouldnt kick off on Friday ;)

By Anonymous, at September 05, 2011 8:55 pm
Cannot wait for this world cup. pool A looks like a belter!

By Stag, at September 05, 2011 9:05 pm
Cannot wait for this world cup. pool A looks like a belter!

By Stag, at September 05, 2011 9:05 pm
I hope u post the Manu Samoa airport arrival RD, I reckon it'll be a huge event.

By Canadian content, at September 05, 2011 9:44 pm
Is it just me, or does anyone else just not care in the slightest about all this Maori stuff? I mean the way they portray it it's like 90% of the population are Maori tribesmen and as Von said in an earlier post, like the rugby players are just visitors that are using the Maori country to host the World Cup. It's just a bit fake in my opinion. I mean having a bunch of Caucasians doing a war dance before each match is bad enough. All this traditional Maori greeting stuff etc. is just getting to be a bit much in my opinion.

By Reality, at September 06, 2011 12:04 am
I agree that the Maori stuff can get a bit much. On the other hand it is nice to see a nation come to terms with their indigenous culture. I reckon NZ is quite unique in this respect, most other western nations are happy to keep genocides and cultural suppression comfortably tucked away or minimized (e.g. US) or somehow exacerbated into a corrupted, confrontational caricature (e.g. Bolivia). NZ is better off for it.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 12:19 am
Yup, I'd agree with the Anon above me.

I think it's a bit gratuitous the way almost any and every clip about the All Blacks begins with a Maori warrior or something - it almost seems a bit demeaning in a way...but that's marketing. It's always kitschy like that...

But I think NZ do well to be proud of their Maori/islander history. And especially since many of the players and fans alike have Maori/islander in them. It seems just to be part of NZ life, no big deal really. I think it's the rugby marketers who try and really highlight it all the time (which does get annoying).

...but, then again, who the fuck cares?! It's RWC time!! Shit yeah!

By mike, at September 06, 2011 12:59 am
@Von and others
Yes it can seem perhaps too much and a bit over the top at times and some NZers would agree with you..but its important to ,i suppose, to not look at what you are commenting on through a western "lens" or viewpoint if you will. simply put, it seems bizarre/unnecessary to us as we are not used to it. For want of a better example, the opening ceremony is something that would be viewed as irrelevant etc etc from a maori perspective.
in all fairness, the nzru may be milking things to a degree i dont know. but what is certain is that NZ is not exclusively a former part of the british empire, our history is also distinctly maori and as such, it is important for us to honour and continue their traditions where we can/(when it suits the govt!)
im not maori by the way but i am from NZ

By try this, at September 06, 2011 12:59 am
Von, you are looking at it from cynical European eyes.
This IS the culture of NZ, the same way France is famous for good wine and food and England is famous for uh, bad food and tea.

That;s a trite example, but this Maori thing is not some makretting gimick or a kitsch lip service being paid to the Maori.

The Maori culutre is NZ's history, and as the posters above have stated, unlike virtually every other Western colonial country (i.e. Australia, USA, Canada), where they just have a token nod to the native culture, in NZ they really do honour the Maori and have tried to weave the colonial European culture into the older Maori culture. Also, unlike the other western countries, the Maori make up a significant percentage of the total population and have a significant contribution to the country as a result.

And in regards to the O'Driscoll incident, his picking up the grass had nothing to do with anything. He just got cleared out of a cruck in what was an illegal way. But anyone who thinks for a second that it was intentional, some kind of revenge attack or deliberate injury causing assault needs to get their head examined.
Mealamu and Umaga just went too far at a ruck. it could happen at any time to any player. Neither Mealamu or Umaga are dirty players or had any other repeated incidents or glaring examples of foul play. It was just an unfortunate incident.

By Jono, at September 06, 2011 1:15 am
For all you Europeans, the Maori are not fake, their culture is real, and still exists.
In NZ they honour that. For you to suggest it's fake is typical European ignorance of the world around them.
Christ, they say Americans are introverted and dismissive of other peopel's cultures!

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 1:26 am
Von, The Maori were a warrior people.
To not pick up the grass would mean you are coming for a fight.
And theoretically, that would mean that Mike Miller would be attacked by the warrior.
As it is, the warrior is basically warning Miller that he is welcome but that he is not the boss on this warrior's land. He is being warned not start any shit basically, to respect the agreement of peacful relations. It's a warning, a welcome and a test of Miller's courage all rolled into one.

And it's the culture of the Maori. If you don't like it, that's fine, don't go to NZ.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 1:41 am
Reality "I mean having a bunch of Caucasians doing a war dance before each match is bad enough."

You say that because you do not understand the NZ culture. By and large the white & maori population do not see themselves as a different people to each other, they see themselves all as one, and the maori heritage as belonging to all New Zealanders.

You may find it hard to get your head around as most countries with indigenous populations are not like this.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 2:33 am
That's right.
It's the equivilant of Maori NZers recognising the NZ flag (which is basically a British naval ensign). They now share the colonial history with their pakeha brothers and sisters, just as European (or Aisan, African or any other heritage) NZers now share the native history of the Maori.

NZ is an inclusive culture, which recognises Maori history and culture as equally significant as European culture.

This must be very strange to Europeans who essentially have just the one, very old culture. In NZ, it is a meeting of two cultures, who now share each other's traditions and histories.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 3:13 am
A country hosting a major sporting event is not just about the sport. A government would not just blow millions on sport. It's all about tourism,investment and publicity. I'm sure one of the first people approached after NZ were awarded the world cup was the NZ tourist board. So ham it up.. It's all about pride. I'm sure when the world cup goes to Japan it will be the same.

It'a show after all!

NZ please exit stage left at the semi finals stage, thank you

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 3:42 am
There's alot to the ceremony.

This is about the Canadian team's welcome:

The locals were not only receiving the rugby players, but also their ancestors. “We never travel alone,” Apiata explained. “We carry our deceased with us. So we not only welcomed the Canadians, but also the thousands of invisible people that they carry to us on their shoulders."

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 3:42 am
They're not 'hamming it up'. It's not for tourism.
This is the Maori culture. The Maori were never crushed as a people in the same way as other native peoples (the British sure tried but could never completely defeat the Maori and had to sign a series of treaties with them).
Their culture lives on. If you go to NZ and travel to one of these Maori traditional sights (There's many of them dotted around NZ), you will receive the same welcome.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 3:47 am
I think you might be taking it a bit too offensively, anon.

It's not that they're hamming it up because Maori culture doesn't exist - like you said, if people were to go to traditional Maori places, then they'll get traditional Maori welcomes and exposed to the traditional culture.

What I think some of the people mean by saying "ham it up" is that this is the RWC. Yeah, it's clear that NZ has an amalgamation of two distinct cultures, and that the people there just consider that "life" - but the IRB/organizers would have been stupid not to play on that and include it in the RWC welcomings. Because they could have. They could've just had the teams arrive, go to their hotels, begin training, etc. But they made sure to make it a bit more "festive".

Nothing wrong with it. It is what it is.

By p.j., at September 06, 2011 4:30 am
Sure, that's a good point, and I wasn't offended, I had not meant for it to come across that way.
I'm just pointing out that this is not something put together for the World Cup. This culture exists in NZ. This welcome is not something dreamed up for the purposes of promoting the World Cup. This is the traditional welcome any visitor to Maori lands would receive for centuries.
These traditions are an accurate reflection of NZ culture, not a marketting gimmick.

But certainly the WC organisers are making every effort to show this side of NZ culture to the players and fans.

By Anonymous, at September 06, 2011 4:39 am