The dressing room Haka

You put your left foot in, you take your right foot out, you do the hokey pokey and you turn around... or something or other! Ofcourse the Hokey Pokey can't come anywhere near the traditional pre-match war dance, the Haka performed by New Zealand players in full view of their opponents before each game they play. However the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had other ideas over the weekend resulting in the "spiritual" dance taking place behind closed doors. These were your thoughts regarding the whole change room Haka...

Kia Kaha boys, top effort and another clean sweep on the northern hemisphere !
 Being a kiwi I understand the traditions behind the Haka. I've been an expat for 10 years now overseas and worked with many nationalities, all whom I have talked to this morning are astonished the Haka was not performed.

It is a part of rugby tradition, not just for NZ rugby, but rugby as a whole, worldwide.

Rugby fans either NZ or not, love seeing this. I was in both Paris and Lyon and being in Stade De France with 80,000 people silent while the boys performed the haka was awesome.

The French faced up to it and they showed respect, not just the 15 players on the field but the whole stadium.

The same was true in Lyon. Another thing in Lyon. When the final whistle blew, no one left. Yes that's right, the French supporters stayed and clapped off the All Blacks. Sorry, off-track!

Think of the times international teams have challenged the Haka, marching up in a line to challenge the Haka, do it, that's what it's about, the All Blacks will respect you for that, and so will all kiwi's!

Brad Santo
 
In my opinion, the haka is not only an ABs institution, it's part of the whole rugby world tradition. In France, even people who know nothing about rugby like watching the haka when it is performed.
It's the kind of traditions that can help rugby football become a real global game.

Jean-Philippe Vacheron (France)

The Welsh paid dearly for meddling with our haka.It is wise not to interfere with things you do not understand.
Wales should concentrate on playing rugby or rather having a few practice sessions for they sorely need it.

Gerry Portegys (New Zealand)

The Haka has a very special place in rugby. OK, it might be something of a more recent tradition but it is still a fantastic aspect of pre-match build up and a privilege to watch, whatever your allegiance. The WRU were wrong to prevent it being performed on the pitch where the paying spectators can see it. If they think by moving the Haka they will influence the outcome of the game...get over it, the All Blacks have been beaten before, even after performing the Haka. If the Welsh want to beat the ABs, then score more points than them over 80 minutes.

At the same time, it must be said that the New Zealanders are being a little precious.  Performing the Haka in the dressing room (conveniently filmed for the TV cameras) was provocative and petty.  Come on guys, the fans want the Haka, let us have it.

Reality Check: The IRB should bang WRU and NZRFU heads together, the match day organisers should accommodate their guests and entertain the public and finally, the All Blacks should be willing to accept a response from the opposition if one is proposed.

Philip Handley

I can only speak for myself, but the Haka is more important to me as a proud kiwi than our national anthem. If I were going to start meddling with long standing traditions I'd propose dumping the standing around like statues in formation mumbling some pretty little poem about God saving New Zealand and ditch that silly blue flag with the stars and union jack in the corner, last time I checked we wear all black and prefer flying a silver fern on black flag.

Anthems are robotic, freakin' boring, and demonstrate little passion, creativity or cultural identity. Actually, could everyone just perform their national anthems in the changing rooms before the games because i don't care for any of them. If you like, you can all come up with something else, like the haka for example, as long as you promise not to just stand there and sing. I know its not the easiest thing to do at such short notice, but then again New Zealand is a darn sight younger than most of the rugby playing world, you all must have bucket loads of culture to come up with your own anthems/traditions that don't follow the existing dull formulas.

Luke Haslett

Anyone who thinks the WRU thinks and acts for anyone other than itself is much like it- in a world of their own.
 
The bleating to your mailbox by outraged Kiwis, much of it offensive, is so over the top -  I'm stunned.
 
The number of deluded Kiwis that think the ABs are representative of themselves is pathetic, you simply support those blokes fella's, get a grip on reality instead of your you know what?
 
Honestly you'd think we'd all said something along the lines of Maori culture is rubbish, when most Welsh fans would have preferred the AB boys be allowed to get on with the Haka as they wished, given we can hear a chubby bloke sing any old time, why argue about a response?
 
Though I will say this, bellowing about cultural respect is all well and good but what were you lot thinking of when you added the throat slit gesture to all the willy whacking, c'mon?
 
Nick Parry-Jones (France)  

I am sick of little tin-pot countries such as New Zealand coming over here thinking that they can dictate what the hell they want to host Nations such as ourselves.

When they are in New Zealand they can do what they want but I was proud of the WRU on Saturday for sticking up for our country and our dignity. We do not want anyone to tell us how to run our game or our lives for that matter and I for one could not care less about any war dance.

I pay my money to watch the football on the field and support my country. But I have to say that I really enjoyed the AB's performance on the field on Saturday and good for them because they are the best team that I have ever seen, but off the field I thought they acted like spoilt English football players.They should learn some manners and respect and stop taking countries like us for granted.

They are great rugby players but they will soon run out of friends if the carry on as the sulky primadona's that they were on Saturday.

Derwyn

I can see why they wanted to have the anthem sung in response to the traditional dance as it is seen to lessen the impact of the men in black to 'psyche out' their opponents, something the All Blacks deny that it is for. (Load of crap, hence the throat cutting version that's brought out for the big games).
 
However, the WRU should have respected the ABs final wishes on the issue. All they did was to deny us fans something that we really look forward to anytime we see the All Blacks play, much to the disappointment of my ten year old son who likes to perform the dance along side them on TV. Why in Wales do we continue to allow these jumped up toss pots to ruin our game with petty issues such as a pre-match dance.
 
If more of their time and effort was put into developing the young talent we have in this country, along with providing an infrastructure they can flourish in, then surely this would close the gap between us and teams like the All Blacks more effectively than singing in response to a dance.
 
Not in my name you suit-wearing idiots.
 
Gareth Davies (Angry Welsh fan)

The Welsh officials are slightly confused pertaining to the response and the advice they received supposedly from Maori Chiefs/Elders. The protocol they tried to exert was incorrect and if more research was done they would see that the protocol they tried to exert was in error.

It has been a tradition for a long time and this latest episode with the WRU has impacted on many Kiwi's opinion of their hierarchy, and if they persist it may be a long time between visits from these shores. 

The voice/opinion on the streets is quite negative towards the WRU and this matter.

Paul Wells

Why didn't the All Blacks just go ahead and do the Haka before kick-off without the permission to do so? The referee was waiting and the Welsh team also. They should have performed the haka anyway.
 
John (New Zealand)

This will no doubt rage on for days, if not weeks. The solution is simple and would save the IRB having an expensive meeting to sort it all out. When playing away from home the All Blacks should only perform the Haka in front of the spectators at the invitation of the home team. If however the invitation is issued then the All Blacks perform it just before kick-off as usual. If no invitation is issued then the Haka is not performed in public. Thus the home team get to exercise their rights as hosts and the All Blacks only perform by invitation but at the time that they wish. In a World Cup situation the RWC organisers should decide whether invitations are issued to perform the Haka or any other accepted pre-match rituals. The invited teams then decide if they wish to perform or not.

John Lockhart

New Zealand are right.  It's there tradition, its not something that can be bought or programmed, and its not something that should be feared (hard as that may seem) its something that is an awe inspiring sight and a privilege to watch. Wales should stop messing about and just get on with the rugby.

Fez Parker (British Forces, Brunei)

The Haka is part of the All Black culture and is done at a certain time.

On overseas tour, it is done at the invitation of the host union.

In the weekend the invitation to do it prior to kick-off was not offered and the Haka wasn’t done.

END OF STORY!

Joseph Nguyen

I only have one question for WRU, what is the difference between the Pacific Islands Haka, which they were quite happy to have just before kick- off and All Blacks? Though I do agree they have the right to say when they want Haka done, the All Blacks also have right not to perform it when Wales wish if they not comfortable with it. It's really no big deal at end of day, the game is still played, and the result is still the same.

Danny

The All Blacks agreed to the same request to mark the centenary of rugby between the two nations and received a promise from the WRU that the request was strictly a one-off.

I think that is what is called “welshing” on an agreement……….

Graham Hutton (Australia)

First the Haka was picked on by Australia, because it gave the AB’s an 'unfair' advantage, now the Welsh want to have a say in how a country displays it’s culture.

Maybe New Zealand should have insisted that the Welsh national anthem be sung at the end of the match! After all it is also acceptable that the Haka be performed 'after'. It happens all the time, just go to an international sevens tournament.

This is pure gamesmanship (by Wales) and the All Blacks were right to reject it.

When the singing in the stands (by the Welsh) is controlled by Graham Henry then the WRU can dictate how the AB’s run their business.

By the way what was the score?

Graham Hutton (Australia)
 
The 45-10 thrashing should shut the Welsh team and fans alike. Thats what you get when you mess around with the Haka. Drawing with the Wallabies does not mean you have what it takes to beat the All Blacks. False hope.
  
Daniel Livino aka KiwiBlack

Kia ora!
 
The Welsh need to stop groaning about this and grow up. They are going to ruin what has become and important part of the All Blacks sharing a significant cultural experience with the rugby public.
 
They can't play rugby - do they think they can arrange the Haka better than they play rugby???
 
Grow up, Welsh rugby - you've already stopped your people experiencing this Haka once.
 
Ray Wiley (A Kiwi in Aussie)

As a Welshman I am embarrassed by the situation that deprived us of the Haka in Saturday's match.
 
The whole 'we've gotta go last' attitude was childish and shortsighted.
 
Surely the AB's came out with even extra venom as a result of being snubbed like this.
 
BigJimPonty (Wales)

As a descendant of one of the 1905 All Blacks I was disgusted and outraged at the lack of Haka preceding the game last night; I am still fuming! How do we contact the WRU to protest this ridiculous insult to our history and culture?
 
Sharyn M Gavin (New Zealand)

If they want to do it after the national anthems and don't want to compromise that. Fair enough, but it's rubbish to suggest it's been that way for 100 years. Get honest AB's, you do the Haka according to your own rules. Having an outsider dictate another rule is going to reduce the power you get from it, so do what you gotta do and don't talk stock-standard rubbish to justify your actions. The fans don't own the Haka, the guys doing it do.

It'll be interesting to see what the other top nations have learned. Just let them do it? Try to neutralise it via doing what Wales did and see if anyone cares in 20 years time? What about Samoa, Tonga and Fiji (with apologies to Waltzing Matilda)? Are their own challenges less important than New Zealand's to world rugby?

Chris (New Zealand)

The Welsh, as usual, are suffering from an over-inflated view of themselves and lack a sense of a wider occasion, wrapped up as usual in their own sad introspection. The Haka isn't just a rugby event, but a world sporting icon. The Welsh are just the latest graceless and envious miseries that want to spoil it. The All Blacks were absolutely right to protest. Everyone knows what the Welsh are up to, and they should be ashamed of themselves. As it turned out, if they had put half as much effort into planning their match tactics as engineering a diluted Haka they might have met the actual challenge of McCaw, Collins and company with a little less ineptitude.

Tom Tweddell
 
I am disgusted that the Welsh saw fit to request the All Blacks carry out their Haka between the anthems rather than at the traditional time of immediately before kick-off. What was their reasoning I have to wonder? If they were afraid that the Haka would psyche the Welsh players into a state of poor performance, then the score tells us that their strategy didn't work. In fact it may well have done the opposite by psyching the All Blacks into an even more determined frame of mind.
 
Jim Reed
 
The All Blacks are throwing their toys because Wales wanted the Haka performed between the anthems. They say that they are concerned about the tradition behind the Haka being eroded. If it so special, as their manager has said, why did they start the process a couple of years ago, when they began performing the new Haka?
Richie McCaw said it is part of their "spiritual preparation". Why should they be allowed to complete their "spiritual preparation" in the centre of the ground while the opposition stand and wait. They are paid to entertain. If they don't want to entertain, let them do it in the change room!

Warren Miller

What the hell are the WRU thinking!?! Trying to put the All Blacks off by moving the Haka to between the anthems from its usual crowd-pleasing pre-KO slot is just plain silly. If you had told the All Black players that they were going to have their wages stopped unless they won the game, they would have been less fired up than they undoubtedly were from this Haka issue.
Whoever the bright spark at the WRU is who came up with this idea should be sent off to clean the youth side's boots for a year. This Welshman is disgusted and frankly ashamed of the way the WRU acted and getting stuffed by New Zealand is fair reward.

Welsh Phil

Good on the ABs for their welsh effort. 100 per cent support their call on the Haka. Hopefully this will put an end to the clamour about it being nasty and intimidating. It is a personal preparation for the game and if others wish to belittle it then I am happy they decided to pull it rather than bend our culture to the jealousy and envy of the rest of the rugby world. We have put up with the Australian disrespect for many years and i'm glad we finally made a national stand. Last time someone tried to ignore the Haka was the Aussies in Wellington. Can't remember the year, but 49-3 was an appropriate response. After today's humping, hopefully the Welsh will grow up and not reinforce the "village idiot" tag. Win a few games before you start to mouth off, boyos.

Andy Neillson

I am thoroughly disappointed in the decision not to perform the Haka in public. It is, or has become an All Black institution and there is something missing from the game when it did not appear.

Lorraine Anderson

The Haka issues is not a complex one. There is simply one factor.
Last year the Welsh Rugby Union requested the Haka be moved as a one off, the All Blacks agreed, on the condition that the request was a one off.

The Welsh broke the agreement, simply by asking the Haka be moved again. It is plain and simple. The WRU went back on their word.

Nathan Williams