Pool D Anthems

The youngest national anthem at the 2019 Rugby World Cup is in Pool 5. There is also the first anthem ever used at an international sporting event.

Pool D teams: Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Uruguay and Wales

The Welsh anthem is the first ever sung at an international sporting event – back in 1905 when Wales played the All Blacks. The touring All Blacks did the haka and the great newspaper, the Western Mail, sought an antidote and came up with the anthem, encouraging the crowd to sing it, which they did with typical Welsh gusto.

They are still singing it with gusto, heads back and mouths open wide. There is no doubt that the best of anthem singing in rugby are the Welsh and the best of the Welsh is big Alun Wynn Jones.

The sight of the little Japanese girl, the team’s, mascot, holding the Welsh hand and singing the anthem in Welsh is one of the most endearing moments at the 2019 World Cup – or all the World Cups for that matter.

Australia

Advance Australia Fair
Words & music: Peter Dodds McCormick, a Scot by birth
Date: 1878

It became Australia’s national anthem in 1984. Before that then anthem had been God Save the King/Queen.

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Fiji

God Bless Fiji
Words: Michael Prescott
Music: Charles Miles
Date: 1911

It became Fiji’s national anthem upon independence in in 1970.

Blessing grant, oh God of nations, on the isles of Fiji
As we stand united under noble banner blue
And we honour and defend the cause of freedom ever
Onward march together
God bless Fiji

Chorus
For Fiji, ever Fiji, let our voices ring with pride
For Fiji, ever Fiji, her name hails far and wide,
A land of freedom, hope and glory, to endure what ever befalls
May God bless Fiji
Forever more!

Georgia

This is the youngest anthem at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The anthem is sung in Georgian and written in Georgian script, and so we have just the English version.

Tavisupleba (Freedom)
Words: David Magradze
Music: Zacharia Paliashvili
Date: May 2004

Georgia gained a measure of freedom with the dissolution of the USSR in 1990 and then through coup d’etat in 2004 with the overthrow of Eduard Shevardnadze and his government. On 20 May 2004, it gained the anthem that it now uses.

Official Translation

Our icon is the homeland
Trust in God is our creed,
Enlightened land of plains and mounts,
Blessed by God and holy heaven.
The freedom we have learnt to follow
Makes our future spirits stronger,
Morning star will rise above us
And lightens up the land between the two seas.
Glory to long-cherished freedom,
Glory to liberty!

Ururguay

Himno Nacional de Uruguay
Words: Francisco Acuña de Figueroa
Music: Francisco José Debali
Date: 8 July 1833

It was officially declared the national anthem on 25 July 1848. It is at the time when Uruguay was trying to free itself from Spain.

Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!
Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!
Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!
Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!
Que sabremos cumplir!
Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!
Que sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!

Translation

Orientals, our nation or the grave,
Liberty or with glory we die.
Orientals, our nation or the grave,
Liberty or with glory we die.
Its the vows that our souls pronounce
and which heroically we will fulfill.
Its the vows that our souls pronounce
and which heroically we will fulfill.
We will fulfill.
Its the vows that our souls pronounce
and which heroically we will fulfill.
We will fulfill.
We will fulfill.
We will fulfill.
We will fulfill.

Wales

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Old Land of My Fathers)
Words: Evan James
Music: James James, son of Evan
Date: January 1856
Official Welsh anthem since 1975

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,
Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.
Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i’m gwlad.
Tra môr yn fur i’r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i’r hen iaith barhau.

Translation

O Land of my fathers, O land of my love,
Dear mother of minstrels who kindle and move,
And hero on hero, who at honour’s proud call,
For freedom their lifeblood let fall.

Land! Land! O but my heart is with you!
As long as the sea your bulwark shall be,
To Cymru my heart shall be true.