All Blacks Haka Met With Fearless French Challenge in Epic 2011 World Cup Clash

Few moments in world sport match the intensity and spectacle of the All Blacks performing the haka, a traditional Māori war dance that has become a symbol of New Zealand rugby and a psychological gauntlet thrown before every international match.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park in Auckland brought this ritual to a new level, as over 61,000 fans watched the legendary All Blacks—featuring stars like Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith, and Jerome Kaino—prepare to face a formidable French side led by Imanol Harinordoquy, Morgan Parra, and Dimitri Yachvili.
As iconic scrum-half Piri Weepu led the guttural cries of “Ka Mate,” the French team, dressed in white tracksuits, responded with a bold V-shaped formation, hand-in-hand, advancing toward their opponents and breaking protocol by crossing the halfway line.
The haka, with its eye-rolling, tongue-flicking, and thunderous chants, is more than just a pre-match ritual—it is a powerful expression of Māori culture, a tool for team unity, and a psychological weapon that many All Blacks players describe as a “secret weapon” giving them an edge on the field.
Its origins trace back to the early 19th century, composed by Ngati Toa chief Te Rauparaha, and it has evolved from a war dance meant to intimidate enemies into a symbol of unity and strength, both for the team and the nation.
“Ka Mate” speaks of triumph over death, while the more recent “Kapa o Pango,” introduced in 2005, proclaims, “It is my time, it is my moment.
Our dominance rises, our supremacy emerges,” reflecting the team’s identity and legacy, and both hakas are performed with pride and intensity on the world stage.
The 2011 final itself became a tense, tactical battle, ultimately decided by a single penalty kick from Stephen Donald, with New Zealand edging France 8-7 in front of a global audience—over 82 million have since watched the haka from that match on YouTube, making it the most-viewed rugby video on the platform.
The haka’s influence extends beyond New Zealand, with other teams, notably England in the 2019 World Cup, responding with their own formations—such as the reversed V led by Owen Farrell’s now-iconic smirk—demonstrating that facing the haka and the All Blacks is both an honor and a challenge.
The ritual has been recognized as an integral part of rugby’s heritage, now protected as intellectual property by the Ngati Toa tribe, and continues to inspire awe, debate, and admiration around the world, reinforcing rugby’s unique blend of tradition, culture, and fierce competition.