Wallabies coach calls new haka 'murderous'

[sheepshagger]

How Focken stupid does this sound


John Connolly has squirted more petrol on the All Blacks controversial haka debate, stating it sends a "murderous" message.

The Wallabies coach today said he was concerned the throat slitting gesture at the end of the Kapa O Pango war dance was setting a bad example for youngsters.

"As a message that it sends that you're murdering someone, I'm not sure that's a great message," Connolly said.

On Saturday night the All Blacks will face the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium and after using the new haka for their previous Tri Nations matches they are again likely to use it before the crucial Bledisloe Cup encounter.

Connolly said he was a fan of the traditional Ka Mate haka but did not believe the throat slitting gesture was appropriate in Kapa O Pango. "I think the tradition of the Ka Mate haka is fine, but as custodians of the game.. and we're continually talking about setting an example for young players...I guess the throat slitting probably doesn't send a good message."

But the All Blacks are unlikely to listen to Connolly.

The players have already battled the New Zealand Rugby Union to let them continue it and will not bow to pressures from another country.

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[StuF]

So the man with the nickname "Knuckles" (wonder how he got that) is scared of a few namby pamby kiwis

[sexy_rexy]

I've seen that Haka a load of times and I've only slit a couple of people's throats afterward, so it's being loike totally blown out of proportion!

[sheepshagger]

I hate all the media sh!t that goes on between Aus and NZ the week leading up to Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup games

[apple sourz]

I hate all the media sh!t that goes on between Aus and NZ the week leading up to Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup games

Haka me arse. It's about time somebody did something about it. Remember all the sh!t with BOD and how he should respect the Haka and take up the challenge without disrespecting them?

If you try to counteract the Haka your being disrespectful. In fact if you do anything other than what the Kiwis say you should do your being direspectful. So they're one up one you before the game starts.

Then again, if you piss them off, they'll walk all over you.

[Uncle Mort]

I hate all the media sh!t that goes on between Aus and NZ the week leading up to Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup games

Haka me arse. It's about time somebody did something about it. Remember all the sh!t with BOD and how he should respect the Haka and take up the challenge without disrespecting them?

If you try to counteract the Haka your being disrespectful. In fact if you do anything other than what the Kiwis say you should do your being direspectful. So they're one up one you before the game starts.

Then again, if you piss them off, they'll walk all over you.

That's right Robbie - you're damned if you don't and damned if you do. Perhaps the Aussies should pay respect to whatever song and dance routine the NZ want to do before the match and then when they finish the Aussies should bayonet a kiwi (the flightless bird, not an actual hostage).

[jezzer]

Wales idea of playing the anthem after the haka was a super one and the notion that they and any other team would be censured for doing so in the future for fear of upsetting the poor kiwis and their obvious psychological advantage ahead of kick-off is scandalous.

The haka is starting to overshadow the game and if the kiwis aren't careful, teams are going to start objecting. The one plus the ABs have is that a test with them is such a moneyspinner, other unions won't want to rock the boat... for how long though?

[StuF]

I hate all the media sh!t that goes on between Aus and NZ the week leading up to Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup games

Haka me arse. It's about time somebody did something about it. Remember all the sh!t with BOD and how he should respect the Haka and take up the challenge without disrespecting them?

If you try to counteract the Haka your being disrespectful. In fact if you do anything other than what the Kiwis say you should do your being direspectful. So they're one up one you before the game starts.

Then again, if you piss them off, they'll walk all over you.

That's right Robbie - you're damned if you don't and damned if you do. Perhaps the Aussies should pay respect to whatever song and dance routine the NZ want to do before the match and then when they finish the Aussies should bayonet a kiwi (the flightless bird, not an actual hostage).

Maybe the aussies could do the macarena

[dodderee]

How can something be traditional if you keep changing it?

[claire_m]

Wales idea of playing the anthem after the haka was a super one and the notion that they and any other team would be censured for doing so in the future for fear of upsetting the poor kiwis and their obvious psychological advantage ahead of kick-off is scandalous.

The haka is starting to overshadow the game and if the kiwis aren't careful, teams are going to start objecting. The one plus the ABs have is that a test with them is such a moneyspinner, other unions won't want to rock the boat... for how long though?

The kiwis were in absolute uproar about that. They said that never again would they 'allow' another team's anthem to come after the haka.

Now, for a home game, fine. But if the kiwis are away, they should respect the culture and the nation that is hosting them. And if they don't like it, tough.

I'm sick of the kiwis whinging about doing the haka, not being allowed to do it their way, their tradition of it, blah blah blah. In this day and age, it gets them way too fired up, and gives them some kind of pyschological advantage. If they must do it, I like the idea of the oppo going out in full tracksuits, then slowly walking back to the touch-line, and removing them, once the haka is finished, thus giving the ABs the chance to cool down a bit.

[Sea_point]

Wales idea of playing the anthem after the haka was a super one and the notion that they and any other team would be censured for doing so in the future for fear of upsetting the poor kiwis and their obvious psychological advantage ahead of kick-off is scandalous.

The haka is starting to overshadow the game and if the kiwis aren't careful, teams are going to start objecting. The one plus the ABs have is that a test with them is such a moneyspinner, other unions won't want to rock the boat... for how long though?

The kiwis were in absolute uproar about that. They said that never again would they 'allow' another team's anthem to come after the haka.

Now, for a home game, fine. But if the kiwis are away, they should respect the culture and the nation that is hosting them. And if they don't like it, tough.

I'm sick of the kiwis whinging about doing the haka, not being allowed to do it their way, their tradition of it, blah blah blah. In this day and age, it gets them way too fired up, and gives them some kind of pyschological advantage. If they must do it, I like the idea of the oppo going out in full tracksuits, then slowly walking back to the touch-line, and removing them, once the haka is finished, thus giving the ABs the chance to cool down a bit.

The Haka was fine in the amatuer era, but it has no place on the professional field of rugby. If NZ want to perform it at home games fine, but there should be no obligation placed by the IRB on opposition teams to waste their game build up time standing and watching an islander version of riverdance...

Let them go ahead and entertain the crowd by all means, but for the IRB to actually insist that teams stay on the park to face it in the professional ewra is nonsense...

[epaddy]

Is anyone else just sick of the focking haka. Its all we hear about leading up to games these days. It used to be savage but with the All Blacks on TV around 15 times a year now its no longer "special"

[apple sourz]

Is anyone else just sick of the focking haka.
its no longer "special"

I love watching the Haka and there's always a hush decends wherever you're watching it. Even people who never watch rugby know about the Haka. But in the modern era, I believe it's more of a party piece that we all like to see.

[Sea_point]

Is anyone else just sick of the focking haka.
its no longer "special"

I love watching the Haka and there's always a hush decends wherever you're watching it. Even people who never watch rugby know about the Haka. But in the modern era, I believe it's more of a party piece that we all like to see.

H'mmm, wouldn't be quite so sure about that these days...

I think with the amount of Rugby tests being played these days and the fact that these are professional atheltes that are being asked to stand around for anthems and ritual war dances etc...that it's irrelevant.

If the NZ Maori want to retain it fine they are an irregular side, but lets face it most of the lads in the All BLacks are Samaon, Tongan or Fijian by ancestry and they have their own dance anyway...

Time for the AB's to grow up and move on, let's just focus on the rugby and keep any dancing for the half time show at the Superbowl (the World Championship of Football.. )...

[Duke Raoul]

It sounds like that even some in New Zealand are in agreement:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3746034a1823,00.htm

Long-serving Featherston club rugby executive Errol Anderson has quit in disgust at the All Blacks' new haka, putting the boot into rugby bosses who condone its use.

Mr Anderson, who is of Ngai Tahu descent, has walked away from 40 years' service in a fury at the throat-slitting gesture he slated as violent and offensive.

The club president and treasurer quit in protest after the haka, Kapa O Pango, was performed before the test against South Africa last weekend.

Wallabies coach John Connolly has also fanned the fire ahead of this weekend's Bledisloe Cup test, describing the haka's final gesture as a murderous act that could incite violence.

"As a message that it sends that you're murdering someone, I'm not sure that's a great message," he said.

Mr Anderson described the throat-slitting action as an embarrassment to New Zealand.

He had decided against laying a "threatening to kill" complaint with police, but criticised the New Zealand Rugby Union for allowing the haka to be used.

"The rugby union need to realise their social responsibilities and not promote an offensive and disgusting gesture," he said. "It's saying that you can threaten to kill someone."

Mr Anderson did not accept NZRU chief executive Chris Moller's statement that the public needed to be educated about the meaning behind the gesture.

Kapa O Pango composer Derek Lardelli declined to enter the debate, saying "individuals in New Zealand have a right to do what they want and can resign from their position, that's why we're a democratic society".

Mr Lardelli said the public had already been well informed about the true meaning behind the haka. When Kapa O Pango was first performed,

Mr Lardelli said it ended with the word "Ha", which meant "breath of life".

"The words and motions represent drawing vital energy into the heart and lungs. That's all I want to say on the matter."

Mr Anderson said he would return to his club duties if the haka was modified or dumped altogether.

[Mauler]

I remember David Campese just wandering away from his teamates with a ball and continued his warm up when the Haka was taking place. The ABs went mental and threatned to pull the plug on doing it in the future.