What’s Not to like about Grown Men Dancing?

English socialite and sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa Middleton, who prefers “rugger” to soccer, explains the game to Vanity Fair readers in the latest issue of the magazine, mentioning the “battle cry” of the New Zealand team, the haka, and our very own “phenomenal but terrifying,” Jonah Lomu.

“[The haka] is accompanied by thigh slapping and bloodcurdling cries, and the players bulge their eyes, all of which is meant to intimidate the opposition,” Middleton writes. “The All Blacks are currently the world’s most fearsome rugby force, and the ritual of the haka is surely one of the reasons why. It has to be seen to be believed, and I always look forward to the All Blacks playing. Grown men dancing? What’s not to like?

“The Rugby World Cup tournament was first played in 1987, with New Zealand and Australia acting as hosts. One of the most celebrated players was Jonah Lomu, a 20-year-old New Zealander who weighed 265 pounds and, at six feet five inches, towered over much of his opposition. In the 1995 World Cup, he trampled Mike Catt, scoring four tries against England in the semi-final, and becoming the most feared player in the tournament.”

Original article by Pippa Middleton, Vanity Fair, February 2014.

Photo by Norman Jean Roy.