Has the haka had its day?

[The InnFORCEr]

JOSEPH ROMANOS

Last updated 13:33 28/11/2013


OPINION: Ireland prop Cian Healy bought himself a whole lot of publicity - little of it complimentary - when he slammed the All Blacks' haka in the lead-up to the test at Lansdowne Road.

Healy seemed to be going to extraordinary lengths not to be intimidated.

He said he hated the haka and wondered why the All Blacks were allowed to perform it before tests.

He also said he never used the term All Blacks, preferring to call them New Zealand.

Predictably, Healy was laughed out of court in New Zealand rugby circles, but he had a point.

I don't hate the haka, but do feel it is so ridiculously over-done these days that its currency has been devalued.

At an Olympics or Commonwealth Games, there just don't seem to be any haka-free zones. There always seems to be a haka breaking out in the New Zealand headquarters, or when New Zealanders are competing.

Television commentators invariably say, after the All Blacks' pre-match haka:

"We're in for a great performance today. That haka was done with real feeling."

As if it had any relevance on the way the team was about to play!

Like Healy, I cannot understand why the All Blacks are allowed to do their haka just before a test.

It means their opponents have to stand there motionless while the All Blacks take centre stage.

In the era of professional sport, giving one team so obvious an advantage seems remarkable.

There's a myth that the All Blacks have always done a pre- match haka. Not so.

They used to do it quite often when on tour - in 1928 in South Africa, the All Blacks would do a haka and the Springboks would respond with their own war cry, devised on the morning of the game.

But the All Blacks almost never did a haka at home. There was an exception before the Scotland test in Auckland in 1975, and since the 1987 World Cup it has become de rigueur.

In fact, not happy with their traditional Ka Mate haka, the All Blacks now have two - they came up with the Kapo o Pango version in 2005.

Teams respond to the haka in different ways.

Some stand there politely, waiting for it to finish.

Before the test at Athletic Park in 1996, the Wallabies didn't bother watching, but headed off to do some warm-up drills. They were roundly condemned by New Zealanders for being rude.

Crack Australian winger David Campese used to pointedly ignore the haka.

In 1989, Ireland marched in V formation towards the All Blacks so that by the time the haka finished, New Zealand's Buck Shelford and Ireland's Willie Anderson were nose to nose.

To his credit, Shelford praised the Irish for their spirited acceptance of the challenge.

In 1997, England hooker Richard Cockerill was only centimetres away from his opposite, Norm Hewitt, by the end of the haka.

Francois Pienaar led a similarly aggressive South African response before the 1995 World Cup final.

There is actually no satisfactory response to a haka.

To stand there meekly offers New Zealand an edge. To reply aggressively risks being labelled culturally unfeeling. (This is the real issue IMHO)

I'm with Cian Healy.

As a pre-test activity, the haka has had its day.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...ka-had-its-day

[Stone Cold]

I agree.

They shouldn't be allowed to do it. Why are they allowed to gain an unfair advantage before the game? Why do other teams have to stand there and get cold while accepting the haka?

If they have to do it then have them do it before the national anthems or after the game.

[beige]

Before the test at Athletic Park in 1996, the Wallabies didn't bother watching, but headed off to do some warm-up drills.

And didn't that work out well for us

[GAFFA]

im not against the Haka what im against is the IRB or NZ rugby putting restriction on the other team.

France was fined for getting to close to the haka during the RWC final when they did the V thing which i think was a joke.

[UNCLE BOOG]

yeah, I still think back to the days when a bit of Waltzing matilda was belted out, but then the IRB said we couldnt do that at the RWC (on Australian soil) because its "not culturally relevant to Australia or Rugby"
not fucking culturally relevant?!

If they can do their silly dance, then the opposition should be able to reply in form... the poms for example:



(because bullet beats spear!)

[blueandblack]

I liked this challenge, not that it helped:

http://www.abc.net.au/rugbyunion/items/s974777.htm

[sandgroperrugby]

I liked this challenge, not that it helped:

http://www.abc.net.au/rugbyunion/items/s974777.htm

I remember watching that one and getting amped up just watching it.

[Happy]

And didn't that work out well for us

that was only one game, too small a sample set to judge if it would work well in the long run

[beige]

that was only one game, too small a sample set to judge if it would work well in the long run

OK we'll try it again next year and see what happens

[The EnForcer]

It's entertaining and quite unique. In an era where every sport is competing for the audience then any additional entertainment factor is important. Like it or not the Haka with the All Blacks are a big draw card and the Haka needs to stay.

[The InnFORCEr]

It's entertaining and quite unique. In an era where every sport is competing for the audience then any additional entertainment factor is important. Like it or not the Haka with the All Blacks are a big draw card and the Haka needs to stay.

Just so you can do this??

[shasta]

If the Haka is to stay the opposition should leave their track suits on then make a point of doing another quick warm-up drill of equal duration. Every time. Just to allow time to re-focus. IIRC some already are.
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[SNOB]

If they can do their silly dance, then the opposition should be able to reply in form... the poms for example:

Yep I can see the poms doing a nice little Morris dance in reply to the Haka.

[shasta]

[westies man]

France was fined for getting to close to the haka during the RWC final when they did the V thing which i think was a joke.

So did every Kiwi,everyone I spoke to loved it