In 2007, French forward Serge Betsen brought together a council of wise men among the players of the French XV. The objective of this meeting is apparently simple: we must find an idea to stand up to their opponents on the day of the France-New Zealand match, in the quarter-final of the World Cup, when they will make their famous “Haka.” The “Haka” is this Maori dance which is part of the myth surrounding the New Zealand All Blacks.
This ritual, used to impress their opponents, leaves no one indifferent, whether in the stands or on the stadium, tells us Fabien Pelous, in the podcast “The Giants of Rugby”. The Blacks are then galvanized by this dance which ends with a tongue sticking out as a sign of defiance. They appear in a trance, disfigured by grimaces and their looks are terrifying. Opposite, the players of the other teams wait and endure this “Haka”, with as much pride as possible…
A tricolor “counter-Haka”
This is why, at each competition, among the Blues, the question arises: what to do during the “Haka”? What can be done, while respecting this tradition, to meet the challenge thrown at them, or even to return it? An idea quickly emerged… Before the match, the French XV wore blue, white and red jerseys. “We manage as best we can, even if we are rugby players, to put ourselves in order,” laughs Fabien Pelous, “and we face them.”
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Then, the Blues advance towards them as the New Zealand team begins their legendary ritual. The scene is impressive: the Blacks finish the “Haka” and stick out their tongues barely 20 centimeters from the French’s faces! With 118 caps and three World Cups, Fabien Pelous has seen many “Hakas”, “but the moment of pride that I felt at that moment, I had never felt it”.
That day, “we launched the challenge”, remembers Fabien Pelous. The French, provocative, sent a clear message: “You are certainly the best players in the world, but to beat us today, we will have to march on our colors,” says Pelous, “and that is not at all ready to let him do it.” Will the French XV be able to take on the challenge launched for this quarter-final to the end? This is what Fabien Pelous says in “The Giants of Rugby”, an original podcast produced by Europe 1 Studio.