The Welshman just stood there after the All Blacks' haka

memorable

22 November 2008: The Welsh national rugby team faced New Zealand in Cardiff. The All Blacks won 29-9, but the final result will not be remembered. The Welshman refused to budge after the traditional haka, sparking a minute-long standoff before the game started.

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The Haka is a ceremonial dance performed by New Zealand's Aboriginal people and is inextricably linked to the New Zealand national rugby team. Since 1884, the All Blacks have celebrated their ritual before every game and try to gain a psychological advantage through the macabre dance.

In the testosterone-fueled sport of rugby, it's not uncommon for provocative performances to spark backlash from opponents. In 1996, the players of the old rival Australian team turned their backs to the New Zealand team during the performance and devoted themselves to warm-up exercises; in 2003, the Tongan team responded with its own dance performance, and the French team truly challenged the “All Blacks” in the game. 2007 World Cup quarter-finals.

In 2007, France, led by the equally bearded and formidable Sébastien Chabal, challenged New Zealand to the haka.Image source: Associated Press

Wales head coach Warren Gatland also had some very special advice ahead of the match against New Zealand as part of the annual Autumn Games Test series. The resourceful Gatland knew that the haka would only end when the opposing team left. Only then did the ceremony end and the All Blacks enter the starting line-up.

On match day, before kick-off, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium was, as always, filled with an incredible atmosphere. At first everything went as normal, referee Jonathan Kaplan recalled:

When the final cry of the Maori dance sounded, the Welsh players did not leave the scene. There were rumors on the eve of the game that Wales would react to the New Zealanders' dancing, but no one expected such a reaction – least of all the All Blacks players. Confused New Zealanders also stayed put.

The victim of the strange situation was referee Jonathan Kaplan, who attempted to mediate between the two fronts and resolve the impasse. First he tried to work with the New Zealanders – without success.

So Kaplan tried a second time on Wales captain Jones, but with little success.

Kaplan, the mediator, went back and forth, with no results in his attempts at mediation. After a few minutes, the poor referee called off, suddenly remembering that it wasn't his job to motivate the two teams to move. Instead, this will fall under the responsibility of the “stewards” responsible for smooth race preparation. Kaplan grabbed the “football egg” and began kicking rides down the middle.

Kaplan desperately tried to get the All Blacks going.

Whether it was the overwhelming force of the Welsh crowd of nearly 75,000 that Kaplan's last-ditch attempt at mediation finally paid off, or the New Zealanders got too stupid at some point – and the All Blacks finally gave in and lined up a starting line-up . However, New Zealand's defeat remained Wales' only win of the night. Encouraged by the “preliminary” victory, the “Dragon Team” still led 9:6 at halftime, but the New Zealand team showed its level in the second half and won the game 29:9 without saying anything.

Referee Jonathan Kaplan will certainly remember this game – not because of the result, but because of the “standoff” that preceded it.

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