In their U20 match against Argentina, the New Zealand juniors paid tribute to the late Jerry Collins, who tragically died in a car crash in France a few days ago. They performed a special prematch Haka, with direct reference to Collins and his family.
Former teammate of Collins with both the All Blacks and Hurricanes, Tana Umaga, was watching on from the sideline as he is part of the U20 coaching setup.
It will have been a tough few days for him personally, as he and the entire rugby community have mourned the loss of such a prominent figure.
The young players were all too aware of the enormity of what happened, and performed this special Haka to honour a player who inspired so many, both on and off the field.
While to some it may just look like another variation of a Haka, what they actually said is what made it so touching. In the intro they made reference to Collins and his partner, and then they say Rest in Peace – ‘moe moe ra, moe moe ra’ in Maori.
There is also an acknowledgement of their baby, and they wish the fallen two to their final resting place. It’s a beautiful personal message from the team, and one worth sharing.
Catch up on all the U20 World Championship Highlights here
credit: sky sport nz
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