Armistice Day
Note: I published the following piece in the days leading up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final fourteen years ago. Poppy day for Australasians is the 25th of April yet the 11th of November continues to be broadly -if unofficially- observed in our nations.
On New Year’s Day in 1906 at Parc des Princes in Paris, the Republic of France took the field in their first ever international match. Their opponent for the inaugural game was New Zealand.
Captaining the All Blacks that day was Dave Gallaher, killed in action eleven years later during the Passchendaele Offensive. In his memory and to commemorate New Zealand’s contribution to French liberty, the winner of the first game in any year between the French and New Zealand Unions is awarded the Coupe Dave Gallaher trophy.
Each year, the two Unions endeavour to hold the match on the 11th of November: Armistice Day. If the match occurs on this day, the All Blacks sew a red poppy onto the right arm of their jerseys and the two teams observe a minutes silence in memory of those who fell in two World Wars.
New Zealand is pleased to welcome our French friends to the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.
To remember our shared history. To continue our shared traditions.
-SRA. Auckland, 21/x 2011.