Sports' Spine-Tingling Moments II: The All Blacks Haka

During a conversation last evening, I realized I had forgotten one of sports' most spine-tingling moments.  This is one I have never witnessed live, but would absolutely love to.  If you have never heard of the New Zealand All Blacks, drop what you are doing and go to YouTube.  Do it NOW, I'll wait.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTGEPW6p4M0

This is the Fiji (in white) Cibi first.  It is the challenge to their rivals dating back to the "uncivilized" tribal era.  The All Blacks Haka also dates to pre-European contact.  They are signs of respect to their rivals, but also meant to be intimidating.  The All Blacks Haka dates back to Te Raupraha, the Maori leader who defeated the British so many times before signing the Treaty of Waitangi.  These aren't just sports teams doing the Tomahawk Chop because they're called the Braves or the Chiefs.  This is a part of the old New Zealand culture.  Many of the All Blacks are of Maori descent.  The white players are New Zealanders who respect the history of their islands.  

And it works.  Since forming in 1903 (roughly the same time as the formation of the New York Yankees) The All Blacks have won 75% of their rugby matches.  75%!  Let's put that in perspective.  That would mean, if The All Blacks were a MLB team, that they would average 121 wins per season.  The most wins ever in an MLB season is 116.  If they were NFL, they'd average a 12-4 season.  NBA, they'd average 62 wins a season.  The NBA and NFL seasons sound plausible, since league leaders usually achieve these numbers.  However, The All Blacks average those marks since 1903.  No team in America's Big Three sports comes close.  The Yankees, for all their great teams since 1901, averaged a .568 winning percentage as of 2010.

Rugby doesn't have seasons, per se, as we would think of them.  Rugby has tours, instead.  The biggest tour coming every four years, the Rugby World Cup, like its more famous cousin in soccer.  The Rugby World Cup started in 1987, with the All Blacks being the first winners.  While they haven't won a World Cup since, The All Blacks do carry a unique distinction in international play.  They are the only team to have a winning record against all other teams.  Their worst winning percentage is 56.1 against South Africa.  The U.S., Tonga, Samoa, Romania, Portugal, Pacific Islanders, Japan, Italy, Fiji, and Canada have never won or drawn against The All Blacks.  Ireland, Scotland, and Argentina have never won against them (with four draws between them).  Australia has beaten the All Blacks the most, with 40 wins, and drawn with them the most with 5 draws.  This comes at the expense of 96 loses to The All Blacks (the most wins The All Blacks have against one opponent).

The All Blacks open every match with the traditional Haka.  Other teams usually respond or initiate (Fiji's Cibi), but the haka of The All Blacks is the most widely known.  Based on their lifetime record, it's also the most successful...and spine-tingling.