We decided long ago that if we ever made it to New Zealand, one of the things at the top of the "to do" list would be to go to an All Blacks rugby match. Steve and I both LOVE going to sporting events, and although we didn't know much about rugby prior to moving to NZ, we knew that it would be an amazing experience for our family to see the All Blacks in person. When we discovered that they were playing Australia in Wellington on Saturday, August 24th, we immediately purchased tickets. We arranged for a babysitter for the twins (thanks Melissa!) and eagerly anticipated the upcoming match.
The big day finally arrived! We snapped a few shots prior to taking off. I love this pic of us loaded up in Big Red...you can sense our excitement. Emily kept eagerly saying, "Babies stay home?!" She was more thrilled about going somewhere without Luke and Landon than anything else. :)
Check out our fierce Haka faces! We're so intimidating.
The drive to Wellington was lovely. We couldn't help but think back to the last time we drove to Wellington, when Emily was in Utah and we were so uncertain about our future in New Zealand. That drive felt long and weighty, but this time we arrived in Wellington in what felt like a flash and in great spirits.
Entering the stadium...
Finding our seats...second row!! We were so close you could literally smell the sweat. The view was often a little obstructed by players and other staffers, but it was a such a blast to be so near to the action.
It was fun and interesting to observe the players warming up. When they would walk right in front of us, Julia tried every tactic she could think of to get their attention (to no avail). That was funny to watch.
After the warmup and before the players returned to the field, there was an awesome video montage shown on the stadium screens, with "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons as the soundtrack. It was so cool and really got everyone pumped up. We found this video online...not quite the same, but pretty close to the original.
Cheering on the players as they entered the pitch...
We were impressed that everyone in the stadium (including the players) sang along energetically to the New Zealand national anthem...first in Maori, then English.
Of course, we all couldn't wait to see the esteemed Haka routine live. Rachel videotaped while I took photos. It was tricky to document while also trying to enjoy watching at the same time. :) Not the best footage, but I think the video and photos still capture the essence and excitement of the moment.
There is nothing cooler than the Haka. Period.
Here are some random shots from the rest of the match. Not including the two drunk ladies in front of us, who (even though they were in their fifties) acted like complete idiots and dropped F-bombs all night, we had the time of our lives. We followed along as well as our limited knowledge allowed, and I'm pretty sure we cheered and sighed appropriately.
I marveled over and over that we weren't seeing limbs being broken or heads popping off. I'm serious. It was sometimes hard to watch, but you couldn't look away! Rugby players = toughest guys on the planet.
I may or may not have a rugby crush on Aaron Smith (above left).
I most definitely have a REAL crush on this handsome guy (below left).
Final score... All Blacks win!!
I am actually so glad that NZ won the test - that made your experience that much better! I can just imagine the atmosphere - would be amazing. Oh and real men don't use helmets & pads!!
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