Rugby and New Zealand Meat Pie

Vanessa Hernandez is a third-year business administration major with a specialization in human resources. She is studying abroad for the fall semester at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.

For more blog posts from SDSU students studying abroad this fall, visit the SDSU Be International blog.

Before coming to New Zealand, I did not know much about the country. I just knew it was beautiful, the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed there, and that the New Zealand national rugby union team, called the All Blacks rugby team, plays there. As a huge fan of sports, going to a game was definitely on my bucket list.

Therefore, I bought a ticket to the biggest, most competitive game of the season: Australia versus New Zealand. Each year, these countries compete for the Bledisloe Cup, a trophy held in very high regard. To give some context, since the 1930s, New Zealand has won 46 times, and Australia only 12. Let’s just say, as a temporary New Zealander, I was excited for the team to bring home the trophy once again. Either way, I was thrilled!

On game days, certain buses will take you to Eden Park, the stadium, for free! On a student’s budget and with the high costs of living, that alone is a win. My friends and I gathered on the bus and made our way to the stadium. Emotions of excitement were running high as we underwent our 20-minute journey. We entered the stadium and were given a free poster from the staff.

The Black Ferns, New Zealand’s women’s rugby team, played at 5 p.m., which was an amazing game to watch! The amount of talent is insane, as they deservingly defeated the Australian Wallaroos, 37-8. After that game, we made our way to the snack bar and, lo and behold, they were selling the famous New Zealand meat pie. I waited for more than 20 minutes but knew it would be worth it.
We made our way back to our seats, when it started sprinkling. No biggie, right? I put my hood on and attempted to eat my pie. Within seconds, it started pouring. Now living in New Zealand, this is completely common as it happens every other day. However, since this is a sporting event, I expected people to get out of their seats and leave. Nope! Almost every seat was filled, and it stayed filled! Back in the States, I’m sure there would have been a lot more empty seats, but these fans were loyal and stuck it out.

The weather calmed down a bit and the game started. Before each match, the All Blacks perform the Haka, a choreographed, ceremonial chant challenging their opponent. Not only is this dance part of the Maori culture, but you can tell this great influence lives within the hearts of Kiwis (native New Zealanders).
Now this event was absolutely incredible to watch. This was the one of the biggest things I was looking forward to coming to New Zealand and it exceeded my expectations. I could not help but watch in utter awe and amazement. It was very emotional to watch because I could feel their passion coming from the whole stadium.

Both teams are so skilled and talented, yet the All Blacks beat the Wallabies, 36-0! I am so glad that I attended this game because I felt like I was part of the Auckland community, rooting our team to victory. At times through my experience, I have been seen as the obvious tourist, as my accent gives me away. Every time I show my ID or speak, people say, “Wow! An American!” Of course, I am very proud to be American, but getting riled up with other fans and repping my All Blacks sports gear, was one of the best experiences I have ever had.
For more blog posts from SDSU students studying abroad this fall, visit the SDSU Be International blog.