Haka (singular is the same as plural: haka) is a traditional ancestral war
cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand, which has
become more familiar worldwide through the All Blacks pre-match display.
It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements
and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.
In case you don't know what game they are playing, it's called rugby.
It's like American Football except its for men, not girls
(there's no helmets or padding or whatever).The video above is New Zealand vs South Africa (look how intimidated they get haha).
The haka, whilst normally enjoyed by spectators, has been criticised as an
unsporting attempt to intimidate the opposition before the match begins.
However, most teams accept that the haka is a legitimate part of rugby's
heritage and face up to the All Blacks during its performance, with both
teams standing about 10 metres apart. The 2007 Portuguese Rugby team
Captain Vasco Uva said of the haka that "[We] faced it, gave it the
respect it deserved and it gave us motivation and we knew if it gave them
strength, it was also a point of strength for us."
The All Blacks (New Zealand) are by far the best rugby team in the world (followed by South Africa, Australia & England). It is over a hundred years old and has only ever been beaten by five nations.
It's interesting to see the reactions of the other teams.
In this Wales vs New Zealand match the Welsh players just stood solemnly and took the challenge.
The English fans here tried to drown out the haka lol
The Irish meet the challenge with their captain's face only inches away.
It's not just the All Blacks who can do the Haka, this is from the Samoa vs New Zealand match.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup is ongoing if you are interested in watching it:
2011 Rugby World Cup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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