England unveil the Hakarena to counter the All Blacks Haka

[Dewald Nel]

Probably led by the queen of England, Elton John.

 

[dru]

The haka should only be done in NZ.

Nonsense. Whatever the thoughts on history it's a part of international rugby now. I'm guessing that most fans would miss it. I certainly would.

 

[Groucho]

Like a lot of things in rugby (i.e. the scrum), the haka has acquired a status not based on historical fact.

This is not to say that it's not a very significant part of the Maori culture, which it is, just that its rugby manifestation hasn't always been what it is now.

Some New Zealand players ham it up something rotten as well.

Someone's inevitably going to mock that. It's a provocation: how ridiculous can I act before my demand for cultural sensitivity wears a bit thin.

 

[Dewald Nel]

I don't care personally whether anybody mocks it or not.

But England will care after the All Blacks raped them because their sacred Haka got mocked, funy or not.

 

[fatprop]

I still remember the motivating factor to the ABs as Aus did passing drills near the posts under Greg Smith

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^^That's right, but again if we go back to the 1973 clip posted on the previous page we see that the opposition paid no attention to the haka. In fact the All Blacks did it facing the crowd on the sidelines.

No doubt it's evolved and is now far more significant than it was.