Mmmm!

Last week the All Blacks played a Test Rugby Match against France - they did eventually win the game, although it wasn't the most spectacular of performances. What was really interesting, was the fact that the team was hauled over the coals by ALL the media for the whole week because they stood there at the singing of the National Anthems with serious faces, arms interlinked and all, to a man, with tight shut mouths! This has had the entire nation up in arms, especially since the French sang the 'Marsellaise' (however it is spelled) with a passion that would have brought tears to the eyes of any Frenchman and made his heart swell with National Pride.
It goes without saying that the 'Haka' was done with passion, gusto and awesome fierceness - truly a sight to behold. Maybe the All Blacks feel more passionately about the Haka than the 'God defend New Zealand' bit - that is certainly how it looked.
Nevertheless, somebody somewhere got to them and this week, prior to the test against the Italians (who had a 'Geldenhuys' in their side and who apparently was born in South Africa) - the All Blacks sang both verses of the National Anthem - the first verse in Maori and the second in English with a fair bit of effort - we couldn't actually say it was done with passion or conviction, but maybe they were keeping some of the gusto for the Haka - as usual, a brilliant display of New Zealand pride!
The Italians' rugby has shown an incredible improvement - there were certainly times when they made the All Blacks look decidedly ordinary! Eventually the TV cameras wandered over to the coaches box and we recognised our 'very own' Nick Mallett - that explains it!

Dis al!