New Zealand’s Under-20 men’s rugby team drew attention in Rajgir with a performance of the Haka, the traditional Māori ceremonial dance associated with the country’s rugby teams.
The performance at the Rajgir Sports Complex was a standout moment during the India-New Zealand U20 International Rugby Sevens Series, which celebrates 100 years of sporting relations between the two countries. The players delivered the ritual through forceful movements, rhythmic chanting and intense expressions, giving spectators in Bihar an opportunity to witness one of rugby’s most recognisable traditions.
The Haka has deep cultural significance for Māori communities in New Zealand and is widely recognised internationally through its association with the country’s rugby teams. Its performance in Rajgir brought a cultural dimension to the tournament, which featured young players from India and New Zealand competing in the sevens format. The series also marked a visit by New Zealand’s Under-20 rugby teams to India for an event of this kind, as organisers sought to strengthen sporting exchanges and promote rugby in Bihar.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the tournament at the Rajgir Sports Complex on Tuesday. The series was scheduled from October 23 to 28 at the State Sports Academy in Rajgir, located in Nalanda district. According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Choudhary said the event aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sports and would help deepen sporting ties between India and New Zealand. Players from both countries met the chief minister before the matches and introduced themselves, while Choudhary unveiled jerseys bearing the signatures of representatives from the two countries.
The inauguration was attended by Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse, Bihar Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh, New Zealand Acting High Commissioner to India Matthew Ayres, Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and Director General of Police Preeta Verma. Their presence highlighted the diplomatic and sporting significance attached to the series, which brought together teams from both countries as part of the centenary celebrations. The event also provided an opportunity to promote rugby among local audiences and encourage greater participation in the sport.
The matches produced contrasting results for India’s Under-20 teams. India’s women defeated New Zealand 17-0, while the New Zealand men’s team beat India 32-0. Two mixed-team exhibition matches were also organised, bringing Indian and New Zealand players together on the same teams to mark the centenary of sporting relations. The fixtures combined competitive action with an emphasis on cooperation and cultural exchange between the participating sides.
While the match results highlighted the competitive side of the series, New Zealand’s Haka emerged as one of the event’s memorable moments. The performance brought Māori tradition into an Indian sporting setting and added a cultural highlight to the tournament’s celebration of a century of sporting ties between India and New Zealand.