We must stand up to the Haka
LET RIVALS FACE ALL BLACKS’ WAR DANCE HEAD ON
STARTING in Cardiff on Saturday, New Zealand’s opponents have no need to stand in passive pre-match deference. If the Haka is worthy of government-level protection, the right of reply must be protected too.
Remarkably, the Maori war dance has been included in a new trade deal between the UK and New Zealand. The agreement was to ‘co-operate with New Zealand to identify appropriate ways to advance recognition and protection of the Haka’. Protection in this instance doesn’t mean being precious about this tradition.
In oval-ball terms, it means enhancing the principle of laying down a challenge and expecting it to be met. There is no place for a sanitised production, with overt aggression on one side and meek compliance on the other.
If there is a desire to advance recognition of the Haka, let rival teams meet it head-on. Remember Richard Cockerill going toe-to-toe with Norm Hewitt at Old Trafford in 1997? Of course, because he met the challenge and it went down in folklore.
France linking arms and walking towards the hosts at Eden Park before the 2011 World Cup final was similarly memorable, as was England forming an arrow-head to stare down the All Blacks before beating them in the 2019 semi-final in Yokohama.
The RFU were fined by World Rugby because some England players strayed over the halfway line. So? It was incredible theatre, in line with the true call-to-arms spirit. There were no Kiwi complaints. In fact, the then head coach, Steve Hansen, said afterwards: ‘The Haka is a challenge and it requires a response. I thought it was brilliant.’
Explaining his confrontation with Hewitt 24 years ago, Cockerill said: ‘It’s a war dance after all, isn’t it? It’s a challenge, so let’s have a crack.’
Wales have responded in the past, notably in 2008 in Cardiff when there was a famous standoff after the Haka, as the hosts refused to back down until the Kiwis did. Again, it was a response to the challenge which made the occasion memorable. It was only right to allow the Welsh players their act of defiance, especially at home in front of their people.
That right of reply must be protected along with the Haka itself.
No pre-match ploys are likely to alter the outcome on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean they should be off-limits.
Here’s hoping for more advances over halfway, more eyeballing, arrow-heads and stand-offs.