New Zealand’s Under-20 men’s rugby team brought a spectacular cultural moment to Rajgir as the players performed the iconic Maori ceremonial dance, the Haka, during the India-New Zealand U20 International Rugby Sevens Series. The powerful performance showcased New Zealand’s rich cultural heritage, pride and identity at the Rajgir Sports Complex.
Known for its forceful movements, rhythmic chanting and intense expressions, the Haka holds a special place in Māori culture and is widely recognised as a pre-match ritual performed by New Zealand rugby teams. The young players recreated the tradition on Indian soil, allowing local spectators to witness one of the sport’s most distinctive cultural expressions, as reported by India Today.
The performance was part of a series celebrating 100 years of sporting relations between India and New Zealand. A video of the event captured the team delivering the traditional dance at the Rajgir Sports Complex, adding a memorable cultural highlight to the sporting occasion.
Bihar CM Inaugurates Tournament
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the India-New Zealand Under-20 International Rugby Sevens Series on Tuesday at the Rajgir Sports Complex in Nalanda district. The tournament is being held from October 23 to 28 at the State Sports Academy in Rajgir.
The event marks the first visit to India by New Zealand’s Under-20 rugby teams for a tournament of this kind. It also aims to strengthen sporting ties between the two countries and promote rugby in Bihar.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Choudhary said the event was aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sports and would help deepen sporting relations between India and New Zealand, India Today has reported.
Players from both countries met the chief minister and introduced themselves ahead of the matches. Choudhary also unveiled jerseys bearing the signatures of representatives from India and New Zealand.
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse, Bihar Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh, New Zealand acting High Commissioner to India Matthew Ayres, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and Director General of Police Preeta Verma were among the dignitaries present at the inauguration, as reported by India Today.
India Women Secure Win, Men Suffer Defeat
The series also witnessed competitive action on the field, with India’s Under-20 women’s team registering a convincing 17-0 victory over New Zealand. However, the Indian men’s team faced a 32-0 defeat against their New Zealand counterparts, as reported by India Today.
Two mixed-team exhibition matches were also organised, bringing Indian and New Zealand players together in the same teams to celebrate the centenary of sporting relations between the two nations.
While the matches provided plenty of competitive action, New Zealand’s Haka emerged as one of the most memorable moments of the series, bringing a unique blend of sport, culture and international friendship to Rajgir.
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