HAK-ED OFF
Crowd key against Kiwis
EDDIE JONES has England under orders to turn Twickenham “into our 24th player” against the All Blacks – with or without a haka response.
The last time the nations met Owen Farrell lit the fuse for a sensational World Cup win by leading England’s V-formation challenge to New Zealand’s Maori war dance.
Three years on and the men in black are on a revenge mission – and Jones has warned they can expect another fierce welcome.
“The haka in 2019 had a massive effect on the fans,” said the Australian coach, remembering how captain Farrell’s smirk, caught on the stadium’s big screen, fired up the atmosphere in Yokohama.
“We’ve got a responsibility to light the crowd up and we want to as they can be our 24th player.
“Whether it’s during the haka or post the haka I don’t really care. We’re going to go after them.”
England were fined £2,000 and reprimanded by World Rugby for allowing their players to cross the halfway line before that semi-final.
But it set the tone for one of the country’s great performances and provided an indelible memory for all who witnessed it.
“I love that picture of Faz stood in the middle with the smirk on his face,” said team-mate Ellis Genge. “I hope he’s got that on his wall.”
Genge claims the players are unlikely to repeat the V-routine tomorrow as “it would be a bit ‘been there, done that’”.
But he said: “None of us are going into this thinking we are going to lose.”
On the cards is a fast start from an England side featuring three changes as Jack Nowell, Manu Tuilagi and Billy Vunipola return to the starting line-up.
England last beat the All Blacks on home soil in 2012 and Jones said: “It takes a massive effort to beat New Zealand. It’s like if you’re a climber going to the top of Mount Everest.
“Traditionally they have bullied teams, so you’ve got to get on the front foot, be physical.
“You’ve got to truly believe you can win – that your strengths are stronger than theirs, that you will expose their weaknesses.
“We believe we’ve got strength that we can maximise against New Zealand.
“We believe there are weaknesses we can expose. We’re prepared.”