Fearless England to challenge haka

Published on

Forwards coach Richard Cockerill urged England fans in what is set to be a capacity crowd of more than 80,000 to “drown out” the haka in Saturday’s massive clash with the All Blacks at Twickenham.

SIYA: Boks blocking out Rassie noise

Cockerill, who famously confronted All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt during the Haka in 1997, said: “It’s a home game and we want a partisan crowd who are on our side.

“If the fans can drown out the noise of New Zealand doing the Haka then let’s bring it on.”

“I have no regrets over what I did and I think it’s a sign of respect for the Maori culture.”

The former Leicester hooker added: “I think the Haka has become a little bit sterile and too much is made of it when people do different things towards it.

“New Zealand are allowed to do what they want to do and the opposition should be allowed to do what they want to do.”

All Blacks captain Sam Whitelock, speaking at Twickenham later Friday, said England could “do what they want”.

“For us, we’ve always done the Haka for ourselves, reconnecting with the people that have gone before us and also the people standing beside and in front of us,” explained Whitelock. “That’s why we do it.”

SATURDAY QUIZ: The Italian job!

There have been suggestions England could confront the Haka on Saturday in a manner reminiscent of Cockerill’s infamous response of 25 years ago.

“It’s up to them, if that’s what they want to do,” added Whitelock. “Like I said, we do the Haka for our reasons and if they feel like that’s going to help them, well good on them.”

England prop Kyle Sinckler, who lined up in a striking V-shape formation with his England team-mates when Eddie Jones’ men confronted the Maori challenge in Yokohama three years ago, is eager for more.

“There is something about the All Blacks with the Haka, the tradition, how much rugby means to New Zealand,” Sinckler told reporters at Twickenham on Friday.

TEST PICKS: Boks to win big in Italy!

England have won just eight out of 42 Tests against New Zealand and Sinckler added: “It’s just a massive occasion and it’s a massive honour to be involved in a fixture of this magnitude.”

The 29-year-old said it was important England remained flexible, citing former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson’s celebrated comment about the limits of planning.

“I think obviously we’ve prepared. We’ve got a game-plan. But, who knows? You know there’s that saying that everybody’s got a plan until you get hit in the face.

“The beauty of how good the All Blacks are, is you can prepare one way and they can play a totally different way. So we just have to be ready.”

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Getty Images

Post by

Dylan Jack