Hey everyone. Not sure what the TV schedule is over there, but the New Zealand All Blacks will be playing the USA Eagles on Saturday afternoon/evening. Yes, it is RUGBY, not to be confused with Aussie rules. The All Blacks are the current rugby world champions and are consistantly ranked #1 in the world. The game is historic in that this is the first time the All Blacks have played in the States, and will be played in front of a sold out crowd at Soldier Field in Chicago. While not quite American football, it is a hard hitting game with no helmets or pads. Being a professional sports photographer here, I had to learn the game on the fly to be able to photograph it effectively. Of special note, after the national anthems, the All Blacks perform the Haka, which is a cultural challenge to the opposing team. Based on Maori (our indegenious people) tradition, it is like a war dance. Hope some of you can tune in. It is a cool sport once you understand the game. Lol, I have people here asking me why they do what the do when the NFL is on tv here. They don't understand a forward pass....haha, as it is not allowed in rugby.

Your Saturday or our Saturday? lol I have a friend from New Zealand and she would rave about the All Blacks

Your Saturday MrsRomo. The game is live on tv here Sunday afternoon. Most everyone here raves about the All Blacks. Afterall, it is our national sport.

lol no wonder on my fantasy ftball my eagles are projected so low....because they play a game the night before lol

Wow! What a game, 74-6 final. Yes, for a country of only 4 million people, rugby is like a religion here. These people truely eat, sleep, work, and breathe rugby. Did anyone happen to see it on TV in the States. Apparantly it was on primetime on NBC I think. I still love my NFL, but rugby really does rule down under.

Hahahaha....just read a writer with The Chicago Tribune called the Haka a ballet...such a misinformed poor soul she is. Now I am American born and raised, but have lived in New Zealand since 2002. At the end of a haka, the performers stick their tongues out...aka Gene Simmons, yes you really have to see it to understand. She called it some name that begins with an H, I think a Hawaiian word, and said it symbolizes a male exposing his "gender" in instilling his male dominance. When in fact, the Haka here is performed by both male and female. awhile it is easilyw explained as a "war dance", it is in fact a challenge the opponent. Yes, originating from a challenge before battle, it has been adapted to sport here in NZ. And toungue, done by both male and female, has absolutely nothing to do with the male gender, I thought that particularly hilarious.

Sorry about typos.Was tired and my tab doesn't have the greatest responding keyboard. The sticking out of the tongue is called a Pukana, done by both male and female.

Haha....that Chicago Tribune reporter is on the news here this evening for just how wrong she got it. Oh, the trivial stuff that ends up on the news in a small country.

The Chicago Tribune really needs new sports writers/editors. Another headline read "Legendary Aussie Team Makes Mark". Don't they know that New Zealand and Australia are two different countries? Way too funny.... they have since apologized though.