Memorable welcome complete at Waitangi
The Lions players, some of them walking a little gingerly after a special welcome the night before in their close win at Whangarei, have now received the full New Zealand experience — a stunning powhiri at the Waitangi Treaty grounds.
In bright sunshine and watched by a crowd of several thousand, the 41 players, plus management, led by skipper Sam Warburton, faced three challenges on their way to the upper marae, Te Whare Ru¯nanga.
All three challenges are likely to leave lasting impressions on those who faced them, and the two dozen Maori warriors who challenged the touring group before giving way to 400-or-so men, women and children in front of the upper marae would have been particularly memorable.
And, significantly, the Lions played their own part in the official welcome.
Some of their players, including Welsh prop Ken Owens, spoke in their mother tongue and sang songs unique to the four nations, including English hymn Jerusalem and Irish song Fields of Athenry. Owens is said to have a particularly good voice and therefore the man most likely to have led the choir practice.
“This is third occasion I’ve been to New Zealand and I’ve had a few official welcomes but that was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” Warburton said.
“It was fantastic. I think all the players have probably realised it’s going to be one of the best experiences they’ve had outside of their rugby careers. We really appreciated that. It’s nice and it feels we are very welcome here in New Zealand.”
The events unfolding on the other side of the world in London added an extra frisson to the morning and early afternoon, and there was no mistaking as well the significance of the men from Britain and Ireland being welcomed on to a place of such significance 177 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Warburton said the team will dedicate the rest of their matches to those affected.
“There’s a clear synergy there,” said Treaty grounds cultural manager Mori Rapana. “Some of those players are probably descendants of the King and Queen and so 177 years ago, their representatives traversed this very whenua that’s out in front of us.”
Asked about the Lions replying with elements of their own culture, Rapana said: “Indeed, we wouldn’t have it any other way. A powhiri is about sharing customs, sharing culture, so that was only fitting that they did that. They’ve got some good voices in there, too.”
One of the few positives to come out of the team’s poor performance of the night before for coach Warren Gatland was the fact there were no serious injuries — including to skipper Warburton, who was making a come- back from a knee problem.
“It was the first hit-out for me in two months so I’m quite pleased I came through unscathed,” said Warburton. “It was a decent first hitout, so we’re just looking forward to improving game on game now.
“It was a great learning curve for us yesterday. I’m really pleased the Provincial Barbarians produced a really good challenge. That’s exactly what we needed. The last couple of tours had pretty easy opening games and you don’t really benefit from that.
“The important thing is how good we’re going to be in four weeks. The next challenges we’ve got coming are going to be some of the biggest we’ve had in the last three or four tours. That’s how we’re going to learn and grow as a team.”
The formalities are over — now for the Blues at Eden Park on Wednesday, a match that promises to be another significant challenge for the Lions.