England rugby fans were left disappointed after the team failed to cross the halfway line and confront New Zealand’s stars during their iconic haka ahead of their match at Twickenham today.
The build up to the teams’ opening game of the Autumn Nation Series was engulfed in controversy, after England international Joe Marler took a jab at the traditional dance, saying it was ‘ridiculous’ and ‘needs binning’.
But the sense of theatre surrounding the event was quickly snuffed out as Marler apologised for the ‘poorly articulated’ joke before the game and the team stayed respectfully behind the halfway line, facing a fine if they made a challenge.
World Cup winner Matt Dawson said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra as the teams lined up: ‘What’s the fine? £2,000? Go on England, get over the halfway line and go nose to nose. I think we’d all have chipped in a fiver for that!’
England were fined in 2019 for mounting a challenge to ‘rile up’ the competition, and Wales went toe-to-toe with the All Blacks in Cardiff in 2008 during their dance, making for a memorable occasion.
World Rugby regulations maintain that teams must stick to their own halves when cultural challenges are exchanged.
This is not the case in rugby league, where teams often confront each other directly before a game.
Marler had himself weighed in on Tuesday before taking a pop at the haka, referencing the rugby league test between England and Samoa last Sunday.
‘It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the [rugby] league boys did last week,’ he wrote.
But the Harlequins prop faced backlash after he said the haka needs ‘binning’, before briefly deactivating his account.
‘The haka needs binning. It’s ridiculous,’ he wrote.
‘It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the league boys did last week.’
The England international ultimately apologised for his ‘poorly articulated’ comments amid backlash this week.
‘Context is everything. Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture. Some wild responses. Big Love x.’ he added on Thursday.
The Harlequins prop will not feature in today’s opener, but has now recovered from a broken foot sustained in July to make the squad.
England were the underdogs going into the match at home, having not beaten the All Blacks at Twickenham since 2012.
Fellow England prop Ellis Genge said earlier this week that England would decide on a potential challenge to the haka in the wake of Marler’s comments.
‘We’ll chat about it later on, we’ve got a meeting and we’ll see what the craic is,’ said Genge.
‘We’re not going to start climbing on each other’s shoulders, but we’ll sit there respectfully and watch it. I’ve only faced it once [in 2022].’
‘Are you not allowed to advance towards it anyway? I don’t know the ruling on it. It’s a good part of the game and I don’t think we should get rid of it,’ he added.
‘I think you should be able to respond but everyone is respectful when they do. I don’t think we have seen anyone take the Michael, so to speak.’
Ultimately, nothing happened. England coach Steve Borthwick insisted before the game: ‘We respect the haka. It is clearly a tradition in rugby but be in no uncertain terms, the players are ready for the challenge and they will accept the challenge, no doubt.’
England were fined £2,000 in 2019 for crossing the half-way line as they prepared to face the haka during the Rugby World Cup semi-final with New Zealand.
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett told media on Friday, ahead of the team’s final training session, that Marler’s comments had ‘probably loaded the gun’ going into the match.
‘I guess there always opinions about the haka and its place,’ Barrett went on.
‘It’s been a huge part of the All Blacks. It’s bigger than rugby in a sense.
‘You speak to people from America and lesser known rugby nations and they know rugby in New Zealand for the haka, so it is huge for us and unites us.’
The comments did prompt international reaction; Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu weighed in to assure he and his team mates would show full respect to Fiji’s pre-match ‘Cibi’ war dance ahead of their fixture.
Tuipulotu, who has a Tongan father and is fiercely proud of his family heritage, has stressed the importance of full respect being shown to the opposition.
‘First and foremost, I think people need to realise that the war dance is a sign of respect for the other team,’ he said.
‘It’s a ritual before you go into a battle and, if you think of it in a logical way, if they didn’t respect you, they wouldn’t be doing the war dance because they don’t see you as a threat.
‘It’s been a ritual in rugby for, I don’t know, the last hundred years, so I don’t know why now it’s a problem.’
New Zealand Cultural advisor Mana Epiha said Marler was ‘obviously a little bit lost’ in making the comments.
‘If he doesn’t like it, that is probably a good thing. That is not for people to like, it’s for people to tremble in their boots,’ he hit back.
‘It’s definitely something that brings about beautiful feelings of our ancestor’s warrior spirits.’
