Guest Blog by Edwin Ouellette

Photos by Malte Jacobsen
There’s nothing like seeing it in person. The loud chanting, the crazed, gaping eyes, and the slapping of the thighs and chest. It’s enough to put a shiver down your spine. Mesmerized, I watched in awe with the other 39,000 fans as the All Blacks performed their new signature haka (a traditional Maori ceremonial dance) against Australia’s Wallabies in Christchurch, New Zealand. After the haka’s blood-curdling finish, the All Blacks’ kicker, Dan Carter, punted the ball to the Wallabies and the rowdy game began.
Like most Americans, I didn’t really care about rugby before heading to New Zealand for study abroad. I dismissed it as football without pads, except more boring. It was during one of my first nights in New Zealand that I watched the All Blacks play the South African Springboks on TV. Of course I didn’t really get exactly what was going on, but I pretended to understand, not wanting to make a fool of myself in a room full of kiwis.
Gradually I began to learn the rules of the game. Foreign terms like scrum, ruck, knock on, line out, and maul started to make sense. Each Saturday night I would join my mates at the bar, order some chips and a few pints, and watch the week’s rugby game. I watched club rugby matches, shopped at rugby stores, and learned how to properly toss a rugby ball without looking like a monkey.
Finally, I was hooked on watching the sport. I simply had to see an All Blacks game. The game in Christchurch on August 7th was the only chance of my ever seeing a rugby game in New Zealand. I went to the box office and bought a ticket close to the pitch. I couldn’t help but grin after purchasing my ticket – finally, I’d have a chance to see the world’s best rugby team live. Incredible.
Driving to the game, I could feel the mounting excitement the closer we got. Walking with the crowd to the stadium, I could hardly believe I’d actually be watching a rugby game, live. Some little kids behind me started clapping their hands and chanting, “Smash the Aussies, smash the Aussies!” I chuckled and joined in for a chorus.
Although it wasn’t the best match I’d ever seen, I lapped up every minute of it. At the end of the game (20-10 All Blacks), the crowd rushed the field. Amidst the surging sea of black, I remembered once again why I’d chosen to study abroad. I knew this would be another once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Read more stories from study abroad students in our Spring 2010 series, Blogs from Abroad, including Edwin’s other posts.

Edwin Ouellette is a senior majoring in Magazine Journalism and Political Science at the University of Oregon. Due to his love of kiwi culture (including Flight of the Conchords, of course) he chose to study abroad as a scarfie at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. When not pouring over ancient manuscripts and homework, some of his hobbies include boxing, badminton, writing, guitar-playing, and cartooning. After graduation he plans to become an online journalist, a cartoonist, an author, a penguin expert, and a world traveler. To read more about his adventures, which are mostly epic, visit his blog.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Rushing the Field