All Black haka Poll

[Lord Hondi]

Hi guys,

Just posting this for those that are following the rugby 2011 post. I was afraid of it being saturated with opinions on the Haka (which I am guilty of enabling as well) so I created this poll.
Simple really - "Yes (unchallenged)" if you think they should be allowed to perform without any challenge. "Yes (challenged)" if you think that should be allowed with opposition challenging the Haka. And "No" if you think it should just be taken away completely.

If you select Yes (challenged) please state which country you have in mind and what sort of challenge they should give (on a serious note). I am cringing at the idea of a Morris Dancing English team lol

[Etherion Fenix]

Of course they should do the Haka, it would just be strange for them to not. Also challenged by what other country feels is an appropriate counter, although the Pacific neighbours do their own war dance.

Kiwi, if you hadn't guessed.

[Paraicj]

Do it, yeah. But don't expect people to just watch and be polite.

By challenge I don't mean that another team has to have a silly dance routine. But the right to walk away, wave derisively, ignore, continue to practice or just get in the faces of the Haka-ers should be enshrined in the rules just as much as the Haka itself. The Haka is a psychological weapon, and the ability to show you are unaffected by it is a powerful tool that is forbidden to teams.

[slug]

I voted yes/challenged. The Pacific Islands have their own war dances, they have as much right to do theirs as has the AB's. I've grown up on the tradition of the Bledisloe Cup, and even as a Wallaby supporter I feel the haka is an essential part of the atmosphere and occassion. I'd NEVER advocate the haka be taken away from the AB's. I don't think that those countries that don't have a war dance should necessarily stand and face up to it like stunned mullets. I would agree that hitting the tackling bags is disrepectful, but a more subtle challenge such as the stare off prior to the last Australia/AB game is an acceptable answer to the psychological challenge that the haka represents.

Slug

[Lord Hondi]

I love the Haka!
I have to say, I quite like the stare off as a response though, quite threatening when coming from someone that looks like a Brick S*** House like Sheridan ^^

@Paraicj

For funsies, pick a country and come up with a routine as a response - I will never forgot the Scottish doing a whole braveheart act before a match (they beat us at Murreyfield, cant remember which 6 nations it was). That did the job, I was soooo pissed off, cant imagine how the players felt

[Sulla1111]

Do it, yeah. But don't expect people to just watch and be polite.

By challenge I don't mean that another team has to have a silly dance routine. But the right to walk away, wave derisively, ignore, continue to practice or just get in the faces of the Haka-ers should be enshrined in the rules just as much as the Haka itself. The Haka is a psychological weapon, and the ability to show you are unaffected by it is a powerful tool that is forbidden to teams.

I agree; but every action has a consequence. The ABs may draw more inspiration from how the crowd or opposition treat them during it. I think that's why some teams hate it; they want to react in one way, but they're scared because it may give the ABs even more motivation against them.

At the end of the day, though, it's all just theatre adding to the drama of the test. There's nothing more stirring to me (a kiwi, admittedly), than 2 teams doing a haka at each other simultaneously, or confronting each other as Norm Hewitt and Richard Cockerill did. Teams that lose hate it. Teams that win couldn't care less. Strong minded teams should take strength by the respect the All Blacks show them in bothering to put some effort into their challenge. If it was me facing it, with my mates next to me, I would treat it like facing down a bully; show strength and confidence and all their bluster is for nothing, show fear and they get more confidence.

It's all irrelevant, anyway. The Haka is here to stay. Broadcasters love it! Crowds love it! Look at when the all blacks didn't perform in Cardiff a couple of years ago.

[Lord Hondi]

Strong minded teams should take strength by the respect the All Blacks show them in bothering to put some effort into their challenge. If it was me facing it, with my mates next to me, I would treat it like facing down a bully; show strength and confidence and all their bluster is for nothing, show fear and they get more confidence.

Hear Hear!

It's all irrelevant, anyway. The Haka is here to stay. Broadcasters love it! Crowds love it! Look at when the all blacks didn't perform in Cardiff a couple of years ago.

Preach it sister!

agree strongly with your post.

[slug]

I once faced a haka on the rugby field. We had a Captains (over 23's) versus Presidents (under 23's) run, the President was from NZ. They did the Ka'ma'te haka (my personal favourite, but the only one seen on a rugby field in the early 90's) and we all laughed our heads off, but it did make for a great start to the game.

Slug

[Tahl]

Scottish team should be allowed their bagpipes out.

[Andrew_uk]

they do anyway... go to murrayfield and it's always filled with 20 bagpipers in their skirts on the pitch before the game. I once had this skirted man with his pipes sat behind me when Scotland played at Twickenham, he was playing flower of Scotland everytime they got even three points. Was very annoying as Scotland took something like a 9-3 lead? Anyway when England scored their try I turned round and asked him if he knew how to play Land of Hope and Glory on those things... everyone else around us pissed themselves laughing and he just coughed and spluttered a bit and told me to F off.

What's with those gender confused gingers anyway?

[Aryel]

For the record, I voted the 2nd option (yes, but challenged). As long as the other team keep it civil (like, no moon-shining and stuff), they've the right to do whatever they like.

[Facade19]

I think they should be allowed to perform the Haka, but other teams should have the right to do the same if they choose to do so.

[Phloop]

I think they should be allowed to perform the Haka, but other teams should have the right to do the same if they choose to do so.

YES!

Years ago they were talking about the Springboks doing a Zulu War dance. Sounds like a good idea, right?

Except our team are mostly a bunch of white boys straight off the farms. Heh!

[Greenman]

Would slapping each other with wet fish be considered disrespectful whilst facing the haka?
Or doing jazz hands and singing show toons?
It's all entertainment, right?