There are all sorts of ways a team might get ready for a big match against the All Blacks. Fair to say that the tactic of actively going out of your way to pissing them off, which is the one England seem to have gone for this week, comes in a way down the list. Joe Marler’s original tweet that the haka is “ridiculous” and “needs binning” has gone down like cold sick with New Zealanders.
“I’m wondering if he wishes he could have articulated himself a little bit better,” said their head coach, Scott Robertson, on Thursday. “The haka is not just about the All Blacks, it is about New Zealand as a country, it means a lot to us.”
Robertson said he didn’t have to pin Marler’s comments from earlier in the week on to the dressing room wall, social media meant his players already knew all about it. “The boys are aware of it,” Robertson said, and while he didn’t want to go so far as saying they would be using it as motivation, he did say “we’ll discuss, and decide how we’ll deal with it. Respectfully.” It was a bit like listening to the white tigers’ team talk about how they were going to deal with Siegfried & Roy.
“I think Joe Marler knew exactly what he was doing by throwing that out there,” said Sam Cane, who managed to say all the right, and polite things, but in a tone that made it very clear indeed just how unamused he was. “In New Zealand when we perform the haka to someone it’s a sign of respect. It’s performed at 21sts, and at weddings. Yes, it’s about laying down a challenge, and it’s up to the opposition how they would like to perceive that challenge, but to us it’s a sign of respect.” The unspoken implication was that by talking about it the way he did, Marler had, prior to his apology on Thursday night, disrespected the team, and their traditions.
And the English wonder why the rest of the world seems to take so much pleasure in beating them. Imagine how it would go down in certain quarters of the Twickenham crowd if the Kiwis had rocked up this week and started mocking the English for singing Swing Low. At least the haka is an authentic expression of Kiwi culture. And besides, as Cane pointed out, “it’s a great spectacle, and the crowd love it”.
Robertson said he didn’t have a problem with the other team responding to the haka on the field. He says he thought it was “awesome” when England lined up into an arrow formation to face it before the World Cup semi-final in 2019. “That had a clear meaning behind it, and it was respectfully done, so it was great, that’s what it’s all about.” Cane agreed. “Like I said, we’re laying down a challenge. If they want to do something else that signifies they’re accepting the challenge, that’s fine.” Although he did say that he thought it was a good thing there is a rule that keeps the opposition 10m away, because “it keeps it clean”.
New Zealand have won only four out of their last seven Tests, but Robertson’s lineup looks formidable. He’s made four changes to the XV that beat Australia 33-13 in the final match of the Rugby Championship at the end of September. Mark Tele’a is in on the wing ahead of Sevu Reece, Jordie Barrett has recovered from a knee injury and is back at inside centre, and Cortez Ratima, who has been in red-hot form all year, starts at scrum half. The only area where they’re under-strength is at loosehead, where Ethan de Groot has been dropped, and Tamaiti Williams starts instead.
England G Furbank; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, O Lawrence, T Freeman; M Smith, B Spencer; E Genge, J George (capt), W Stuart, M Itoje, G Martin, C Cunningham-South, T Curry, B Earl
Replacements: T Dan, F Baxter, D Cole, N Isiekwe, B Curry, A Dombrandt, H Randall, G Ford
New Zealand W Jordan; M Tele'a, R Ioane, J Barrett, C Clarke; B Barrett, C Ratima; T Williams, C Taylor, T Lomax, S Barrett (capt), T Vaa'i, W Sititi, S Cane, A Savea
Replacements: A Aumua, O Tu’ungafasi, P Tosi, P Tuipulotu, S Finau, C Roigard, A Lienert-Brown, D McKenzie
Allianz Stadium, Sat 3.10pm GMT
Robertson would only say that De Groot “didn’t meet internal standards”, which is quite a euphemism. All this talk about the haka may actually have spared him from a stiff interrogation about exactly what his team have been up to after hours this week.
The most telling selection is at fly-half, where Beauden Barrett starts ahead of Damian McKenzie. Barrett played there often enough in the early years of his career but this is the first time he has started a Test there inside his younger brother Jordie. Robertson said Barrett’s game-management skills had given him the edge. “Beauden’s experience means he understands what’s needed on a northern tour,” he said. “Out of his hand or off his foot he’s very instinctive, but he also knows how to get around the field. So we believe he’s the best one for this week.”
Robertson was clear that they don’t need any extra incentive to get up for a Test against England at Twickenham. “There have been some epic battles and a lot of our All Black heroes have left their mark on it,” he said. But thanks to Marler, they have one anyway.
