War Cries and Hakas

Sean Fagan

A special feature in the July 2009 issue of Inside Sport magazine.

Sean Fagan takes a look at the previously untold history of the introduction and evolution of football war cries and hakas.

While they began in rugby, they were also to be found amongst national, state and club teams in rugby league, Australian football and even College Football (gridiron / American football) in the USA.

Also explored are the lost war cries of the Wallabies, the 1909 British Lions, the American team of 1910, the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds, as well as Aussie rules teams at the 1908 National Carnival in Melbourne, and how "rah rah" came to be connected to rugby.

The article looks at the words and actions of the war cries, responses of opposing teams and even crowds, how some were comical, and how the modern New Zealand All Blacks Maori haka became the most prominent and respected of all.

Check out "Footy's Great Divide" in the July issue of Inside Sport magazine.

Rugby History Article © Sean Fagan