Holy haka batman

[KenyaQuin]

KQ Jr, at 3 already a Wallaby supporter through and through, makes a beeline for the telly the second he knows the Haka is coming on and it manages to keep his interest in the actual game for another 5 minutes or so..

Miss Little KQ, another one-eyed Wallaby supporter at 6 and hater of anything All Blacks, is transfixed during the Haka after which she makes a decision on whether to watch the game or not..if its the Wallabies, she'll keep watching; if its any other team, it would depend on her mood at the time..

Given that C7 skip all the pre-game stuff during their delayed midnight telecast, I'm now forced to download the game soon as it's available (usually early next morning) purely for the anthems, and the Haka if an All Black game.

As Beige said, it's a drawcard. The standard practice (presumably by gentleman's agreement) for the past few years has been that the opposing teams lineup almost 15-20m away, this is simply formalising it, isn't it? Last thing we need is a finger poked into someone's eye; and a recurring debate on what is an appropriate response to the Haka.

[Sheikh]

I wouldn't mind the haka so much if they didn't have the anthem, too. Surely it's biased to be able to have two songs.

But agree that if the ABs can have the haka, the Argentinians should be allowed to tango and the English to have a morris dance!

[KenyaQuin]

As naive as this may be as a question but what's stopping the Australians doing a Corroboree lead by one of the indigenous players?

The iRB

Really? I think that when the idea was floated, it was proposed that it would not be performed by the players but rather by a indigenous group seperate to the players..hence it was knocked back by the IRB.

[The InnFORCEr]

I wouldn't mind the haka so much if they didn't have the anthem, too. Surely it's biased to be able to have two songs.

Three songs actually, two anthems and the haka

[jazza93]

What a stupid rule. It is just a massive logic fail on the IRB's behalf. How can they make rules for what teams can and can't do during the haka.

They should change it to something like:

Both teams are free to act, and make whatever noise they choose on their respective half of the pitch before kick off. This ensures all teams get to go through thier respective pre match activities and prepare to their best ability for the game.

From here they can make guidelines on what both teams can and can't do during this time. Not just what one team can do, and how the other team must act during this time. That is creating a double standard.

If i were the owner of a large company. I would be sponsering the Wallabies for whatever the IRB fines them to act freely on their half of the pitch during the haka.

[normie]

Every opposition team should be allowed the right of reply to the haka.
After all, after a spiffing greeting like that it is only fitting - and a mark of respect- to reply in some unique and meaningful way that typifies the warrior-like spirit encompassing the 'combat' that is about to begin.

Using the England team as an example, a routine could be contrived based on a famous battle - "The Charge of the Light Brigade". The forwards could be horses with the backs being the mounted cavalrymen. The reserve bench could be the stretcher bearers.

The Scots could base theirs on Macbeth's triumph over the Norwegians in circa 1600;

The Welsh have plenty of material -the defeat of the English in the Battle of Bryn Glas, for example;

The Irish have plenty of historically significant donnybrooks to call on (some not involving civil war or the English)...


Of course some creative work would be required for the French and Italian versions....

[James]

I wouldn't mind the haka so much if they didn't have the anthem, too. Surely it's biased to be able to have two songs.

But agree that if the ABs can have the haka, the Argentinians should be allowed to tango and the English to have a morris dance!

We have Waltzing Matilda at home games.

The problem with having some sort of corroboree is what if none of the four odd indigenous players who are currently Wallabies are actually playing. Also, I think most of the team would struggle to relate to it.

[jazza93]

The Wallabies should get on their knees and pray towards Mecca during the haka tomorrow. Then lets see the IRB fine us.

[blueandblack]

....
The Scots could base theirs on Macbeth's triumph ....

Do you mean "The Scottish play's triumph"?

[Burgs]

Nah normie, the only appropriate response is to stand there shaking in your studs with a little bit of wee dribbling down your jock strap, anything less is disrespectful and means they are going to belt you...because they wouldn't have belted you otherwise.
The whole thing has become a wank.
Something that culturally sensitive doesn't belong around sportsmen.

[Cowboy]

Every opposition team should be allowed the right of reply to the haka.
After all, after a spiffing greeting like that it is only fitting - and a mark of respect- to reply in some unique and meaningful way that typifies the warrior-like spirit encompassing the 'combat' that is about to begin.

Using the England team as an example, a routine could be contrived based on a famous battle - "The Charge of the Light Brigade". The forwards could be horses with the backs being the mounted cavalrymen. The reserve bench could be the stretcher bearers.

The Scots could base theirs on Macbeth's triumph over the Norwegians in circa 1600;

The Welsh have plenty of material -the defeat of the English in the Battle of Bryn Glas, for example;


The Irish have plenty of historically significant donnybrooks to call on (some not involving civil war or the English)...


Of course some creative work would be required for the French and Italian versions....

I'd have thought something equally traditional for facing the maori's would be appropriate. Not sure what firearms the English were using at the time of the Maori wars (Martini Henry?) but everyone could form the defensive square and prepare for traditional colonial warfare rifles ready, as a reply.

[Sheikh]

I'd have thought something equally traditional for facing the maori's would be appropriate. Not sure what firearms the English were using at the time of the Maori wars (Martini Henry?) but everyone could form the defensive square and prepare for traditional colonial warfare rifles ready, as a reply.

Could get a touch insensitive if the English did this against South Africa, unless they also have Michael Caine there saying "Zulus! Thousands of them!"

[Cowboy]

Not sure who would be angrier in a SA vs England version of this, the descendants of the Zulu's or the descendants of the Boer's.

Great way to upset people in these sanitised times.

[.X.]

I have always considered the The traditional Haka (Ka Mate) as a challenge that should be "respectfully" responded too.

I recall The_InnFORCEr writing an article here in TWF about a source suggesting that the Wallabies accepting that challenge.

The newer Haka Kapango(sp) (ending with the throat slitting jesture) was apparently choreographed specifically for the All Blacks. I fail to see how this is considered a tradition and it should not be allowed to be performed prior to any Test Match.

[zimeric]

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