'Bogus and bullying': UK media critic calls for All Blacks haka ban
New Zealand rugby’s most famous critic has called for the All Blacks to stop performing the haka before test matches, calling it “bogus” and a “means of rank bullying on and off the field”.
Stephen Jones, a Welsh columnist who writes for The Times, took aim at New Zealand’s pre-match ritual, suggesting it’s performed to satisfy sponsors and television and felt it was time the rugby world moved on.
“The haka has long been partly bonkers,” Jones wrote in his column for The Times. “It is now interminable; it takes up ages with the other team freezing. It is now a means of rank bullying on and off the field, and has become a posing strut rather than a tribute to the M?ori heritage in New Zealand.”
The haka has dominated media discussions through the World Cup, culminating in England’s V-shaped formation response ahead of last week’s semifinal.
Jones highlighted World Rugby’s decision to fine England for crossing the halfway line “as New Zealand made threatening gestures towards them”, while at the same time expressing admiration for the gesture on its website.
Continue reading below…
“The idea is clear. The All Blacks want to make a ringing pre-match statement; they want it all to be their way just as teams would occasionally delay their entry onto the field to make the away team sweat a little. The haka is as much part of the pre-match bullying ritual as any inter-coach war of words,” Jones wrote.
“And New Zealand will always find a way to be affronted by the reaction of opponents. Should the opposition simply trot away to near their own line, the All Blacks would chase them to perform it under their noses. The opposition must behave exactly as New Zealand want them to: Advance, retreat, smile, scowl. All wrong, sorry.”
“These days, I grant you that kids and those easily pleased still look forward to the haka almost as eagerly as they do the match itself,” he said. “When they all grow up, they will realise that what the haka conveys these days is utterly bogus.”
World Rugby handed England a four-figure fine after several players – England prop Joe Marler the most prominent – pushed well beyond halfway as they split into a v-shaped formation to oppose the haka prior to their semifinal victory over the All Blacks in Yokohama last week.
“I thought it was awesome, that’s what the haka is about, it’s a challenge,” said All Black Dane Coles. “They walked forward. I know all the boys were pumped for it we were looking around like ‘let’s go’.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1189964122227691520
All Blacks response
World Rugby handed England a four-figure fine after several players – England prop Joe Marler the most prominent – pushed well beyond halfway as they split into a v-shaped formation to oppose the haka prior to their semifinal victory over the All Blacks in Yokohama last week.
Coles can always be relied on to deliver refreshing honesty, and he again stepped up when asked for his view of England’s punishment.
“They earn a shitload of money so they’ll be able to pay the fine,” Coles said with a chuckle. “They’re a pretty wealthy union so they can take the hit.
“I thought it was awesome, that’s what the haka is about, it’s a challenge. They walked forward. I know all the boys were pumped for it we were looking around like ‘let’s go’.
“From an All Blacks perspective we didn’t think it was bad. We thought it was awesome.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SuuWMgZbF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
World Rugby have been accused of hypocrisy after labelling England’s response to the haka “incredible” on their social media channels, only to then turn around and fine the team.
Coles was more than happy for other teams to respond in similar fashion in future.
“Yeah, if they’re willing to pay the fine. Teams always do different things. We had no qualms with it they were accepting it. It’s a bigger matter than for us.”
Globally the haka is often misunderstood or misrepresented, primarily due to the lack of understanding around its many purposes within New Zealand culture.
Coles made it clear the All Blacks were aware of the regular critical feedback.
“It’s every year something seems to be said. It’s part of who we are as New Zealanders, it’s an identity thing. When people pay us out and say we shouldn’t be doing it they don’t understand the history of the haka, the history of the All Blacks and the history of New Zealand.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1189961676059230208
“We love doing it and I wish people would understand that. Even people at home give us stick about the haka. We can’t control what people think and people say but it ain’t going anywhere.
“If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. It means a helluva lot to the All Blacks team.”
“From an All Blacks perspective we didn’t think it was bad. We thought it was awesome.”
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen echoed Coles’ view around England’s formation which emulated France’s response in the 2011 World Cup final at Eden Park.
“I thought their response was fantastic,” Hansen said. “They didn’t get fined for responding for doing what they did, they got fined because they went over halfway. Everyone knows you’re not allowed to come over the halfway.
“You’ve got to get reality here. Joe didn’t go back when he got told two or three times. I thought the response was brilliant.
“If you understand the haka, the haka requires a response. It’s a challenge to you personally and it requires you to have a response. I thought it was brilliant, quite imaginative too.”
This article first appeared in nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to comments