Was at the game and blown away by the atmosphere
When the MMT anthem started everyone around our area (and I suspect the stadium) who were wearing red started singing
At the end of it I feared that the NZ anthem would be performed in silence but how wrong that was as the same folk who had just sung their anthem joined with those of us singing the NZ anthem and it was louder than the MMT anthem
It struck home to me that the Pacific Islanders who have made NZ home are as much NZers as they Islanders.
The kiwis scored the red flags were waved with vigour, the Tongans defended well the red flags were waved with vigour, the Tongans scored the crowd erupted.
A Tongan supporter 2 rows in front of us had a humongous Tongan flag that for good portions of the game obscured our view as he waved it whenever some action took place but I choose not to ask him to be “more respectful” of others for two reasons- 1) he was just enjoying his day at the footie supporting his team/s 2) he was a big bugger!!
Throughout the game there was spontaneous singing of Tongan songs (or I thought they were).
I’ve been to many grand finals, numerous rugby tests, Presidents Cup golf tournaments, Commonwealth Games etc. but I’ve never been in a crowd with as much atmosphere as was at Eden Park on Sunday.
If you ever get an opportunity to attend a game where a Pacific Island team is playing go, you won’t be disappointed
When the MMT anthem started everyone around our area (and I suspect the stadium) who were wearing red started singing
At the end of it I feared that the NZ anthem would be performed in silence but how wrong that was as the same folk who had just sung their anthem joined with those of us singing the NZ anthem and it was louder than the MMT anthem
It struck home to me that the Pacific Islanders who have made NZ home are as much NZers as they Islanders.
The kiwis scored the red flags were waved with vigour, the Tongans defended well the red flags were waved with vigour, the Tongans scored the crowd erupted.
A Tongan supporter 2 rows in front of us had a humongous Tongan flag that for good portions of the game obscured our view as he waved it whenever some action took place but I choose not to ask him to be “more respectful” of others for two reasons- 1) he was just enjoying his day at the footie supporting his team/s 2) he was a big bugger!!
Throughout the game there was spontaneous singing of Tongan songs (or I thought they were).
I’ve been to many grand finals, numerous rugby tests, Presidents Cup golf tournaments, Commonwealth Games etc. but I’ve never been in a crowd with as much atmosphere as was at Eden Park on Sunday.
If you ever get an opportunity to attend a game where a Pacific Island team is playing go, you won’t be disappointed
