Lions to face series of haka
The British and Irish Lions tour is going to be even more Kiwi than expected, with news three of the Super Rugby franchises to play the tourists will perform the haka.
The Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs will perform a pre-match haka unique to each side, while the Highlanders and Hurricanes players decided against it.
It will be the first time the Lions have faced the traditional Maori war dance, outside All Blacks tests and games against the New Zealand Maori.
New Zealand Rugby chief strategy and operations manager Nigel Cass confirmed the haka would feature when the Lions played the Blues on June 7, the Crusaders on June 10 and Chiefs four days before the June 24 first test.
Only the Chiefs have their own haka. He Piko, He Taniwha was performed after the 2012 and 2013 Super Rugby final victories.
It was composed by haka exponent Ora Kihi from the cultural group from Te Wharekura O Rakaumanga School.
In 2016 it was performed before the game against Wales, who are coached by Waikato stalwart Warren Gatland.
The 10-match Lions tour starts in Whangarei on June 3, when they play the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.
Cass said he was delighted the Lions had embraced the chance to face three new haka.
‘‘We have been talking to our other teams about whether they would like to perform a haka or have some other form of ceremonial presentation,’’ Cass said.
The Highlanders were likely to go with a Scottish-themed prematch while the Hurricanes were still working on their pre-match rundown.
The Lions’ first match is against a Provincial Barbarians side in Whangarei on June 3.
The Ka Mate haka was performed by the New Zealand Native team on their long and arduous tour of 1888-89, and by the ‘‘Original’’ All Blacks in 1905. Haka were traditionally performed before All Blacks games overseas, until 1986 when then-captain Buck Shelford and Hika Reid moved to change that.
In August 2005, All Blacks performed Kapa O Pango for the first time, a new haka for and about the All Blacks.