'Get in their faces': Former Wallabies coach's alternative suggestion to kneeling ahead of All Blacks clash
Former Wallabies coach and controversial broadcaster Alan Jones has urged Australian players to “take a stand against the haka” – rather than taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement – when they face the All Blacks in the third Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney on Saturday.
Ian Foster’s side need one victory from the remaining two tests Down Under to retain the Bledisloe Cup for an 18th year, following a draw in Wellington and a comfortable 27-7 win a week later at Eden Park.
In a column for The Australian, Jones, who last year drew flak from all quarters for his comments about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, encourages the Wallabies to “get in their faces” during the haka, adding he doesn’t believe the All Blacks “have any right issuing a challenge to the Wallabies on Australian soil”.
The shock jock announced his retirement in May after more than 30 years in the industry – shortly after telling his listeners Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison should “shove a sock down the throat” of Ardern.
Leading in to this weekend’s clash at ANZ Stadium, there were suggestions the Wallabies would take a knee during the national anthem in support of the global BLM movement.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie later confirmed the team would remain on their feet, and instead would be honouring the country’s indigenous people by donning their indigenous jersey for just the second time on home soil.
Jones, however, wants to see the side stand up in defiance of the challenge laid down by the All Blacks’ haka.
“Rather than taking a knee or wearing the indigenous Wallaby jersey, take a stand against the haka,” Jones wrote.
Their pre-match haka has long been a feature of the All Blacks’ game-day, regardless of whether they are playing on home soil or abroad – as do nations such as Samoa, Tonga and Fiji when they are performing their cultural challenges.
While they are doing so, their opposition are required to keep a 20m distance under World Rugby regulations.
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There have been several occasions where the All Blacks’ haka has been challenged in some way. Ahead of their semi-final at last year’s World Cup, England stood in a V-formation to face the haka to show they were ready to fight; France did the same ahead of the 2011 World Cup final.
Four years earlier, France walked up to the All Blacks and stood face to face with them as they were laying down the challenge.
In 2008, Wales stood rooted to their spot after the All Blacks finished laying down their challenge, leading to an awkward stand-off between the two as the referee attempted to tell them to get in position for the game to start.
Australia have mounted their own challenge in the past, including in Wellington in 1996 where the Wallabies turned their backs on the haka – focusing on their own warm-ups instead. The All Blacks won the game 43-6.
While it has become a big feature of the All Blacks, Jones wrote that he thought it was extraordinary World Rugby allowed the All Blacks to perform it ahead of every game regardless of location.
“Remember, they get a national anthem as well,” he wrote.
“I would like the Wallabies to go “old school” on Saturday. By that I mean standing up to the All Blacks when they perform the haka.
“Why should they have to stand 20m away? I would be saying to the team, get in their faces.
“The Wallabies have to make a stand on Saturday. It starts before the kick-off; it should start during the haka. If World Rugby wants to fine the Wallabies, then so be it. Wallaby supporters would pay the fine 10 times over. We just want to see our boys play with passion and belief.
“I mean no offence to the All Blacks. They are a wonderful side. New Zealand is a fine country and we have the best of relationships. But, nonetheless, I do not believe the All Blacks have any right issuing a challenge to the Wallabies on Australian soil.”
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments