The best "Hakas" of the All Blacks in recent rugby matches (Video)

The first back-to-back champions in the history of the sportAlthough rugby is quite obscure in the Indian subcontinent, the sport has quite a following globally, which was evidenced by the 2.5 million people who attended the recently concluded Rugby World Cup in England.To fans of the game, the Maori war challenge of the New Zealand national rugby team, or the All Blacks, holds as much allure as the games themselves. The “Haka”, as it’s called, is a traditional tribal war dance that the Maori people of New Zealand perform. It has been adopted by the national rugby team, who ritualistically perform it before every match. The dance creates a feeling which is a strange amalgam of spine-chilling and awe-inspiring. It is literally the throwing down of the gauntlet to the opposition. There are 2 forms that are generally performed – the traditional “Kama te” and the more recent “Kapa O Pango”. Here, we take a look at the five best Hakas performed in the past decade.

#1 Kama Te vs Tonga, RWC 2011

Tongan Sipi Tau vs All Black Haka

The Kingdom of Tonga, though dwarfed by the All Blacks, geographically and figuratively, aren’t exactly timid on the rugby field. They perform their own war dance called the “Sipi Tau”. What happens when the warriors meet? Take a look and find out:

#2 Arrowhead Kapa O Pango vs France, RWC 2015

Returning the favour

The proud All Blacks weren't going to forget France's defiance in their last encounter in the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The French team formed an arrowhead and marched towards the All Blacks as they were performing the Haka, before a hard-fought contest that saw the latter triumph marginally 8-7.

The All Blacks returned the favour this time, and made sure they repeated the gesture by defeating the French:

#3 Kapa O Pango vs Australia, RWC Final 2015

The final Haka of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Despite having faced each other 179 times in the past, the All Blacks and Australia met for the first time in a Rugby World Cup Final yesterday. The All Blacks laid down the challenge, which wasn’t surmounted by the Wallabies.

#4 France\'s reply to the Kapa O Pango in the RWC Final 2011

Definitely a first

The French astonished everyone with their response to the challenge in the final in 2011. What followed was even more surprising, as they went toe-to-toe with the most successful rugby-playing nation of all time but narrowly lost 7-8

#5 Wales\' reply to the Kapo O Pango in 2008

The scene following the Haka

The Welsh were certainly looking down the barrel in their encounter against the mighty All Blacks during their 2008 Tour, but they certainly didn’t show it. The tension was such that the referee had to intervene despite neither team moving a muscle.