WE CAN HAK IT

Cockerill claims England will dance to own tune

RICHARD COCKERILL has warned the All Blacks that England will answer the Haka challenge in whichever way they see fit.

Former hooker Cockerill, Eddie Jones’ assistant coach, stood up to New Zealand’s pre-match ritual in 1997, squaring up to opposite number Norm Hewitt, and insists he has not had a moment of regret.

He has encouraged today’s sell-out Twickenham crowd to drown out the Haka with their cheers – while reminding the England players that for all the pre-match theatre, it is what comes next that really matters.

“We’ll respect the Haka, how we want to respect it,” said Cockerill.

“It’s a psychological advantage for them and we will deal with it how we feel the right way is to deal with it.

“Personally, when I’ve faced the Haka it’s been more of a motivator than a demotivator. It doesn’t make me scared – it makes me more motivated.You have to use that.”

England have not toppled New Zealand at Twickenham since 2012, but beat them to a place in the 2019 World Cup final after confronting the Haka with a V-shape formation. It earned a £2,000 fine and reprimand from World Rugby, but that was considered money well spent as it set the defiant tone that launched them to one of their greatest wins.

Cockerill believes the Haka has become a bit “sterile” and hopes the 82,000 crowd will meet it with a rousing version of ‘Swing Low’.

“It’s a home game and we want a partisan crowd who are on our side,” he said. “If they can drown out the noise of them doing it, let’s bring it on.

“People make too much of it when people do different things towards the Haka in their own way.

“New Zealand are allowed to do what they want to do and the opposition should be allowed to do what they want to do.

“We respect their team and culture. Conversely, they have to respect what other teams do against it.”

The All Blacks are odds-on favourites despite having lost four

games already this year, including two in a home series defeat to Ireland.

A week ago Scotland scored 23 unanswered points against a muchchanged team only to let slip their best chance of a Kiwi scalp.

The look in the England camp after a scratchy opening fortnight is one of steely-eyed determination, which goes well beyond answering the Maori war dance.

As Cockerill put it: “We can all stand up to the Haka. We can’t all do what happens next for 80 minutes.

“We have to front up physically but also our skill levels have to be high and we have to really take the game to them. If we do that we can win, if we don’t we will make it an arm wrestle.

“If you let them get on top they will take advantage but if you put them under pressure they’re as susceptible to making mistakes and conceding points as anyone else.

“We’ll treat them with huge respect – but not too much.”

Prop Kyle Sinckler echoed Cockerill’s sentiments, saying: “It’s all good doing this and that to the Haka but what matters is the business on the field.

“It’s all good having a V-shape, or whatever it is, but you’ve got to back it up with actions.”

Sinckler has faced the All Blacks five times with England and the British & Irish Lions, losing only twice, and he has spent the week sharing his knowledge with rookie team-mates.

“It’s important to pass that knowledge down,” he said. “Test match rugby is the pinnacle but when you play the All Blacks it is different.

“They’re rugby-crazy – it is literally on 24/7 there, it means so much to them.”

England field a similar team to 2019, sacrificing an extra lineout jumper in the back row for more mobility.

In that semi-final, it paid off. Lightning might not strike twice.

Sinckler added: “We’ve prepared, we’ve got a game plan but who knows?

“There is that saying, ‘Everyone has got a plan until they get hit in the face’.”