1
Perhaps NZR did not learn from Folau after allowing the Haka hijack
I’m embarrassed to say that I expected something substantive from New Zealand Rugby (NZR) this week.
I presumed, naively as it appears to have turned out, that management of our governing body – or indeed that of the All Blacks themselves – might make it plain that test matches aren’t the stage from which to launch political statements.
The specifics of what barrow TJ Perenara was trying to push on Sunday (NZ time) are of no interest to me. Nor is the fact that he’s got form on the board in this regard or that there’s historical precedent for players taking stands on social issues.
The office, which is what a rugby paddock amounts to for players, isn’t the place for political grandstanding and, as Perenara’s employer, NZR ought to know that.
Regardless of his sentiments or cause and whether NZR supports that or not, Perenara was representing New Zealand. He wasn’t on his own time, but the nation’s.
Yes, I know that sounds a bit corny, but people do feel a sense of ownership where the All Blacks are concerned. They feel the team represents the best of New Zealand and take great pride in the team’s lofty perch on the world stage.
I don’t want to see Perenara rebuked and I don’t imagine many people do. But I would expect his employer to at least say that, while they respect his beliefs, expressing them immediately before a test match wasn’t the right forum.
Because in ostensibly condoning the hijacking of the haka, NZR not only endorses what happened on Sunday, but gives permission to every player to do similar.
Write whatever absurd message you like on your wrist band or boots. Pose with whatever flag, chant whichever incantation floats your boat.
Your need to express your political beliefs trumps whatever corporate values NZR has. It’s more important than the worldview of sponsors and fans. You, the player, must be allowed to give voice to your views.
Right up until those views differ from NZR’s.
You remember Israel Folau, right? No, he wasn’t on the NZR payroll, but we’re all aware of the things he said and the way that worked out for him at Rugby Australia.
Folau expressed the wrong view and woe betide anyone who does that. Never mind the Wallabies teammates who liked his social media post or endorsed his take on Christianity.
I’ve no idea what possessed Folau to write the things he did, although I would point out he wasn’t wearing a Wallabies jumper and about to play a test match. Nevertheless, he quickly became toxic and his reputation has never recovered.
We can only speculate upon what might happen if an All Black did similar. However, I think it feels safe to assume NZR wouldn’t stand idly by in such an instance.
Well, offence is a two-way street and it’s dangerous for sporting bodies to pick and choose which parts of the public they’re happy to affront.
Far safer to make it clear publicly, given the All Blacks are New Zealand’s team, that while NZR encourages players to have a social conscience and to be leaders in the community, it’s better not to do so on national duty.
That’s all. No-one has to be condemned, fined or suspended. We’re all grown ups with the ability to bite our tongues while we’re in the workplace or out in public, because we recognise and accept that no speech is completely free.
There are always consequences for straying outside of the margins.
I thought NZR might’ve known that.
ADVERTISEMENT
Go behind the scenes of both camps during the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021. Binge watch exclusively on RugbyPass TV now
I once went to a Stevie Wonder concert in Brisbane just before the 2008 U.S. elections. He proceeded halfway through to promote African American politics and got the crowd chanting ‘Obama ! Obama ! ….’
Listen up Mr. Stevie Wonder …. I paid my money to hear your great musical ability and not your political viewpoints.
I was more than annoyed.
Stick to what you’re paid for and stop pontificating about political issues and that goes for Perenara too. People don’t appreciate it, play your rugby and talk about that and people will respect you but for sure if you spout personal political opinions on the public platform, you will set people against you.
Challenging one's government and society to honour Treaty principles they agreed to almost 200 years ago, and claiming that Aussie bushfires are God's punishment for abortion and same-sex marriages isn't even in the same ballpark, mate.
It’s unbelievable that 43 years later we still have fans (and commentators) who are ignorant enough to espouse nonsense about politics and sport not mixing. Our players are finally enlightened enough to stand up against blatant racism, but we still have these people who think brown sportsman exist for their entertainment only. The abject irony of making these statements about the haka is absolutely breathtaking. I’ve never been more proud of the All Blacks than I was watching TJ, but once again I’m ashamed to be called an All Black fan if it means being associated with people who bang this drum.
Mountain meet molehill.
However, if it was TJ’s wish to draw attention to the Treaty Principles Bill, then mission accomplished.
I think it was a pretty benign statement he made during the haka. And I find the “not the platform” argument interesting from where it’s coming from.
The over reaction from people, like Hamish and Justin Marshall, has made a bigger statement about the issues than Perenara did.
I suppose they should establish a committee now, to approve what is said during the haka…
Or maybe they should stop talking and just dance. Express themselves with movement.
I guess we could open a can of worms where, instead of opponent teams responding to the haka with pre-prepared moves of their own, opponent leaders could start picketing for causes important to their own team. “Occupy the half line” and such.
I’m glad I don’t have to figure out how to handle this whole thing. It seems like a slippery slope.
Discuss.
The overpowering sentiment in most responses is you kiwis cannot stand an alternate point of view, which Hamish Bidwell, more often than not, provides.
"A team steeped in maori culture" ? Now, that is a bridge too far for even the most vivid imagination.
Well, given that the haka was first done by the Native team that toured Australia, Britain, & Ireland, in 1888-89, I'd say that qualifies as "steeped", don't you?
I mean, after 107 games, that'd be a ton load of haka-ring. That team incidentally was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2008. Legendary!!!
You Kiwis??? So Hamish himself???? The overpowering sentiment is that Hamish is a total tosser. Has proven this over many years
Robertson has lost me.
The Woke Cult has had its day.
The camp is clearly divided just the country and their performances reflect that.
ABs have now opened a fissure which will allow any future Haka leader free licence to push whatever political barrow they wish down our throats. They should’ve stomped on TJ right from the get go and told him to either stick to the script or hand over his duties to the next bloke.
There is a reason why the Allblacks are no longer number one. Certain players are busy being prima donnas.
The problem with the haka now is that a number of players think it's a team to be dictated to by those with an axe to grind that are part Maori.
It's time to shift haka out of the national team and to the NZ Maori team to perform.
The Allblacks are the national team and all the recent haka changes and the recent addition of wooden spears, etc, are a distraction.
Of course learning and practicing the haka needs to happen before it's done, that means less time and energy for practicing rugby.
It's time to move forward and let the Allblacks just concentrate on returning to the world number one position.
It won't happen because NZRU has allowed itself to be captured internally by a fixation with the treaty and all manner of advisers on haka, etc.
Yeah, there's no link between the haka & rugby performance bud lol. Sighhhh . . . .
There are many reasons they aren’t no.1 anymore.
A 3 sentence statement about how the haka is for all of aotearoa hardly makes someone a prima Donna.
The All Blacks have dominated the game, haka practice didn’t seem to be a factor then.
Unfortunately, Maori culture is a part of your identity as a New Zealander. You don’t have to acknowledge it or like it; you do you.
But it’s a part of us.
The haka before the game is an expression of us all as a people.
I have my issues with it, but it’s unlikely to change.
What are you babbling about, Hamish?
“Ko tēnei haka mō te tāngata katoa o Aotearoa”
(This haka is for all the people of Aotearoa)
“Toitū te mana o te whenua, toitū te mana motuhake, toitū te tiriti o Waitangi”
(Forever the strength of the land, forever the strength of independence, forever the Treaty of Waitangi)
The only people offended by that are those who want to divide us. And they can far cough.
You’re comparing apples and oranges. Or apples and Tuesdays. First, Folau was already contractually bound not to make the kind of comments he made; no such contract obliged TJ to avoid the kōrero of a haka he had been asked to lead. Second, Folau’s remarks weren’t just expressions of “belief”; they were a calculated damnation of people already vulnerable to homophobic attacks. Even if you disagree with TJ’s (and his teammates’) belief in respecting the nation’s founding constitutional document, nobody’s life is in jeopardy because of what he said. The most political position I’m seeing here is Bidwell’s “keep politics out of sport” line, which is exactly what Ron Don and his ilk were saying on the eve of the ‘81 Springbok tour. Funny how that “apolitical” line ends up always lending implicit support to reactionary institutions and initiatives.
Sums up the ABS, more worried about silly haka than rugby .
It aint the ABs that seem to be worrying. Just some hack who cant write decent articles so just writes hate articles.
Comparing Folau's story with TJ's seems to be a rather precarious balancing act. Yellow card and 10 minutes in the sin bin Mr Bidwell
Follau is a pretty extreme comparison; his misdemeanours were examples of extreme intolerance, Perenara's were not.
But yes, I agree, the All Blacks is no place for politcs. If Perenara wants unity, the best advice would be to steer clear of politics altogether, which by nature is a devisive sport these days. It doesn't matter how well intentioned your words are; it's naivety to believe nobody will take exception to a political stance.
The most disappointing aspect of all this is that we were promised a response to the French stumble. Young players were denied a run because our old buck's demanded to right the wrongs. Great players deserved a farewell, of course. Instead we got a Haka to remember and a fairly limp performance.
Afterwards we were told the team weren't there mentally, which is odd given their demands to make amends.
I've often wondered if there's too much senior player power in this team. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for giving responsibility and ownership to players or employees generally, but there has to be a limit.
Selections should be based solely on what's best for the team, both now and in the future. Not because of player's wishes or for farewell appearances or parting political statements.
It was a wasted opportunity to expose some young players against a tricky oposition; at least they would have been playing for the right reasons.
You do know that Folau was 100% vindicated. Rugby Australia had to pay him MILLIONS. And till this day he is still the best fullback to play the game for them. What was the point you were trying to make again?
Australian Rugby paying out the salary remaining on Folau's contract is not vindicating his actions. More like avoiding a legal pain the a** from someone who was already a Public Relations pain in the a**.
There was no 100% vindication. He was sacked & stayed sacked. The balance of his contract was paid out to avoid a lengthy, costly, legal battle, which would cost more than his contract. And each party had to apologize to each other.
RugbyPass if you include this type of posts in the international section, you or the journalist has to provide a bit of background as otherwise no clue he is talking about for non NZ readers….
NZ rugby is responsible for what goes on. It is a privilege for them to be allowed to perform the haka at rugby games, not a right. A 3 game ban for NZ on performing the haka at international games would get them to realize this and get their players to not use the platform for thier own agendas. Else where does it stop.
You're correct. The All Blacks don't have a right to do the haka. They are INVITED to do so by the host nation. The only time the ABs declined to do so, I think, is against Wales in 2006. Everything is by mutual agreement & in that case, agreement couldn't be reached.
This protocol applies to Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, etc, whomever wishes to share a pre test match ritual of encounter. If nations don't want the haka etc, they only have to say so. All good.
We all know why you want the haka banned.
Yes of course... It was definately the HAKA's fault. Ban national anthems too. Not taking the knee is a political statement is it not?
Hey Hamish Bidwell, you strike me as a david saynomore, (Oh, 4give me my spelling isn't the best,) but you know who I mean
Difference between Israel (could almost be my greatest fullback of all time in an apologies average at times Wallabies but still go with Cully🤙🏽🤙🏽) is that TJ did in no way insult any group directly in fact his words were other than that but Israel did Israel also mentioned hell for drunks too so we all going there 🙏🏽🙏🏽but there is a difference my personal belief is they just live with consequences and for TJ there will be none 😂😂he getting some hate no doubt but the ❤️I see he has been getting will far outweigh that it’s more personal and people been criticizing him forever, great tackler at 9 think I remember him debut season for Lions he like 17 or 18 think I saw him make 4 try saving tackles in 1 game
Blah blah blah.
Hamish Bidwell strikes me as the kind of man who constantly brings up politically affiliated topics at the dinner table, then proceeds to get egregiously offended when the topic steers towards the natural conclusion: politics.
Like it or not, a team deeply steeped in Maori culture has every right to comment on issues affecting Maori people. Suck it up and move on with your life.
That's the point, it's the NZ team and it's not deeply steeped in Maori culture, it's a team for all Kiwis. Shift the steeping to the NZ Maori team.
Folau made the abc community cry foul for sharing his beliefs . But what did he actually do wrong ? . Nothing , that’s why Folau won in court and the Australian rugby union had to pay him 4 million I think it was .
Well he said certain people are going to go to hell it was a longish list of which I am guilty of many 😂😂but still it’s directly insulting threatening a group of people with eternal fire and pitchforks ..so get it is his beliefs and what he said u would need to know him his whanau to really judge give it context but you shouldn’t say that we are just who we are 🌈 included in my opinion
No, Folau didn't win in Court. He sued for 14$million & to get his job back but Australian Rugby said no way. They went to mediation & ended up Folau withdrew his claim & was paid out the balance of his contract owed. A mutual public apology was also delivered by both parties.
Missing the point of the article completely.