Handbag haka ads outrage All Blacks

[Jess]

oopps.. sorry my net connection is playing up so i wasn't sure if i had sent it the first time...
my bad

[Burgs]

"New Zealand has warned Australia to forget any claims about being the world's best, even if the Wallabies end a five-year drought on Kiwi soil tomorrow night."

"New Zealand's rugby union team has criticised a promotion for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against the Wallabies, which shows the All Blacks performing their traditional haka with handbags."

"New Zealand coach Graham Henry is playing down suggestions the All Blacks have deliberately tried to attain the underdog tag for this weekend's first Bledisloe Cup match in Christchurch.

Henry indicated in the press this week that Australia have looked a very strong team in their opening Test matches while New Zealand were still work their way in to form.

"I haven't been trying to get the underdog tag at all," said Henry."

"Bledisloe Cup matches in New Zealand are usually sold out months in advance. But several days before tomorrow night's Test opener in Christchurch there were plenty of seats left. Yesterday there were still more than 5000 available."

Is anyone else getting the feeling that NZ might actually be a bit more nervous about this one than we thought they were?
For a team that hasn't played together yet this year they seem to be doing a lot of worrying about the side issues!

[rick boyd]

Is anyone else getting the feeling that NZ might actually be a bit more nervous about this one than we thought they were?
For a team that hasn't played together yet this year they seem to be doing a lot of worrying about the side issues!

Only newbies think that last season's Tri Nations with four losses by Australia means that Australia are easybeats. The real story lies in the play, not the result. And in both Bledisloe Cup games, Australia were very competitive.

In the first test the All Blacks got away with a good margin thanks to a couple of late tries but the Wallabies led 13-0 at one stage and there is a good case for Australia losing the test rather than New Zealand winning it -- thanks Brendan Cannon for some very handy fumbles that scuppered the Wallabies at crucial times.

The second test was closer at 34-24, after a good half time lead of 20-5 to New Zealand. The Wallabies were coming home strongly and trailed by one point early in the second spell but this time Matt Dunning came to the party with a series of blunders that gave replacement flyhalf Luke McAllister some easy penalties and steered the All Blacks home safely.

So far in 2006 the All Black backs have looked awkward, clumsy and disjointed while the Wallaby backs have been running freely and with enterprise -- so it's no wonder New Zealanders are not brimming with coinfidence. Not the ones who know the game, anyway.

The All Blacks need to seriously dominate scrums and loose ball, and lock the Wallabies out of the possession battle. It is likely to be rainy and cold in Christchurch, so the Wallaby back line may not have many chances to show its wares, and that's what the All Blacks will be counting on.

[Happy]

so any one got a copy/link of the full ad ???

[Darren]

so any one got a copy/link of the full ad ???

Not yet, but I will record the game and they will be bound to play it immediately before. Assuming I do get it, I'll make sure it becomes availabe for download...

[travelling_gerry]

I just got sent the link from a Force supporter in Singapore...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL9ThdmZkFs

[Jess]

thanks gerry!! that was classic!

[Sagerian]

I just got sent the link from a Force supporter in Singapore...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL9ThdmZkFs

I don't get it... That's the same one I posted.

[Nick]

To be honest guys I think (although I can only speak for myself) that most kiwis can see the humours side of the handbags on the allblacks - fair dig whatever. Insulting the Haka actually goes beyond the usually banter of "my team is better than yours" stuff that always soes on and that a fair number of Kiwi's, rugby fans or not find the ad insulting.

As far as being nervous about the big game - well hopefully it will be as tightly contested as usual but I think you will be in for a shock to think that a Full Strength All Black team is just going to roll over. Knuckles, except for the exclusion of some stand out western Force boys in Staniforth and Shep's, has started to turn the Wallabies around. The backs are always competitive, Mills I reckon will have it over Rogers, the Wallabies will have the edge in the line out but will be in for a bumpy ride in the scrums and the loose forwards. Generally the backline of both teams are dangerous and the real battle will be in the contest between Gregan (east-west player) and Bryon (North - South Player) and between Cater and Larkham.

As for underdog status well I think that really does belong to the Wallabies, and the main reason why theres 5000 seats left is that there is a lot quality of Rugby in Christchurch and maybe on an icy night and with the high price of the ticket its a good night to stay home and watch the boys beat the wallabies again in front of the fire with mates...

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Hey Nick, what do you call a high price for a ticket; like the same we pay for a seat here?
If i wasnt at Jade stadium watching,id be at The Holy Grail without a doudt.

[Nick]

Hey Lone Hydrangea,

Well its about $125 a ticket but the misty fog of the S14 final sold like hot cakes, here in WA we are starved for top quality Rugby - since the WF kicked off we finnally get to see a little of the action Canterbury see a fair bit of Rugby and like anything with the NPC games the S14 final the Irish tests filling out a stadium can just be a little hard.

If I was in NZ I'd be there but instead I'll have to watch it on the box, and no I wont be watching 7 but fox.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Sorry mate, the Holy Grail is the largest sports bar in NZ. Found in downtown Christchurch, not channel bloody 7. Suss out holygrail.co.nz it is a awesome pub

[Darren]

The traditions of the Haka and the culture behind it deserve the utmost respect, but we are talking Rugby here. Surely the cultural dilution of its performance at rugby matches (by the fact that it is now performed by non-islanders with no traditional ties to it at all) and it's subsequent huge commercial value as a spectacle make it (in the context of rugby) just as much a fair target to satirists as any other logo or trademark?

Although I could understand that people may be offended at Channel 7's irreverence, I don't think they have overstepped any boundaries ...

[Nick]

Um, Im knew to the whole posting thing so I'll reply to both at once.

re; the Holy Grail. Well Im heading back for a bit in December so I'll make sure to have a pint or two. Unfotuntely not really a good time to actually catch any rugby though.

Re; the Haka. I think coach I'll have to agree to disagree with you on that one, the old rivalry has sent many barbs back in forth over the ditch but the Haka transends just rugby. But as I said thats just me maybe Im alone on this one but I thought the whole handbang thing was funny (Im not a hurricanes supporter) when it happened and the sticking it on to the AB's is no worse then half the sheep jokes that float about I just dont think that the haka should have been draggd in.

I wouldn't mind seeing the 'Kapa o Pang' Haka brought out again, if ever there was a good time to use that particular version now is it.

[Darren]

Fair enough, I ain't after a debate and I ain't an islander or a kiwi so have a different take on it.

But I do know where a copy of Kapa o Pang is lying around. It's about 50mb in size and can be found here