I Have an idea of how to solve this Haka Buisness once and for all ! !

First of all they either(A) BAN THE HAKA altogether.

(B)The HAKA get performed by another group of performenrs (NOT THE ALL BLACKS)

If the amswer is A then alot of fans NZ, and the rest of the world fans would be very disapointed.

If the answer is B well atleast fans will get to see the HAKA, it just will not be performed by the ALL BLACKS

Now that seems simple enough, doesnt it?

What do you think.

I think away games will be expensive, extra travel etc. how would you cover that?

PJHolybloke wrote:I think away games will be expensive, extra travel etc. how would you cover that?

I understand what you are saying, but if the All Blacks want the HAKA performed, then they will pay all the expencess.

change 'they' with 'the irb'

Or.

60 seconds of national songs/anthems/dances before the KO.

Away team goes first.

Leave the Haka alone, it is pure rugby tradition. Wales shoudl get Gavin Henson to do a foxtrot in reply, closest he will get to playing for a while

if the all blacks want the haka - sacrifice there anthem. england should sing jerusulem as well

mystiroakey wrote:if the all blacks want the haka - sacrifice there anthem. england should sing jerusulem as well

I'd be quite happy to ditch NZ's dirge of an anthem in fairness

i think most english would ditch ours as well- especially when its not even an english anthem

mystiroakey wrote:i think most english would ditch ours as well- especially when its not even an english anthem

Or we could all have our own haka and everyone gets to perform one.

How about sides against the IRB policy simply refuse to play the AB's until they lift it? No better way of protesting than striking in this sense until justice is restored to that facet of the game.

in my honest opinion half of the kiwis are feeling embarrased during these haka's. its not doing them many favours. If we did some dance routine before the game(and that goes for all of us) it would do us no favours what so ever- better to just think of as many different ways to undermine it as we can

I have never met a kiwi embarrased by the haka. Its part of rugby whining about it is just sour grapes.

Don't ban the Haka (it's wonderful) - but also allow any response the other team wants (within reason, obviously)

The English could do a morris dance, Ireland can Riverdance (now I'd pay to see THAT) and the welsh can herd sheep. Aussies will break out the barbie, South Africa can't do anything but they will blame the new politcial regime for stopping them unless it has a background in the culture of the Proteas.

Argentina will try to invade Malvinas, the PI nations will jump off ferries.

Oh yeah, and Scotland will recite poetry about wee timourous beasties and ritually sacrifice a haggis

ireland and the river dance lol

Does the English Morris Dance come with bells and all? Possible highlight of the year seeing the Haka face off against its new and fearsome counterpart. As someone once said on the old 606, confronting the AB's with the MD could possibly render them unable to play due to severe psychological disruption.

Oh yes - not just the bells but the used handkerchiefs too. Of course the IRB would ban the bit where they bash twigs against each other. Someone might break a fingernail

I reckon we should sing cerdd dant to them (like one song to the tune of another from I'm sorry I haven't a clue but with poetry and harps) it would bore the adrenaline out of them.

Davie wrote:Don't ban the Haka (it's wonderful) - but also allow any response the other team wants (within reason, obviously)

The English could do a morris dance, Ireland can Riverdance (now I'd pay to see THAT) and the welsh can herd sheep. Aussies will break out the barbie, South Africa can't do anything but they will blame the new politcial regime for stopping them unless it has a background in the culture of the Proteas.

Argentina will try to invade Malvinas, the PI nations will jump off ferries.

Oh yeah, and Scotland will recite poetry about wee timourous beasties and ritually sacrifice a haggis

But everyone knows the English really can't dance.

I think the fact that you can only come up with 2 ideas says a lot about you and your prejudices.

PJHolybloke wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:i think most english would ditch ours as well- especially when its not even an english anthem

+1

The Haka was only ever done for a few 'away' matches by the All Blacks when on tour, never at home, and always done badly.

The Haka as we know it was reinvented by Buck Shelford for the 1987 World Cup in NZ, the first time it had been done on home soil. It does not have a long tradition at all so lets not pretend it has some deep cultural meaning when its a fairly recent invention.

However it is a little bit of theatre that the rugby public love. For me I am actually pretty fed up of seeing it. But for the IRB to tell everyone what they can and cant do is nonsense. They will kill it off by pursuing the line they are taking.

I totally agree that the opposition team should be able to do whatever they want in response, and if that's a Morris dance so be it. If nothing else it would break the AB's concentration as they crease up with laughter, but that would be no more than I do everytime I see the Haka.

What that means though is another 90 seconds or so before the game starts but I don't see that the IRB could deny a team to do that if they allow the Haka.

Oh God I'm starting to sound like Victor Meldrew.

This £5ooo fine is for me the final straw, with that Haka, as it has no place on a Rugby pitch, but if it does, anybody challenging it gets fined? Whats that all about. Its too precious, overblown, and up itself BS. And those are its good points. Shameful!!

Maybe it is time for NZ to update this brand new ancient tradition only started 20 odd years ago that's been going on for 100's years but only abroad.

Maybe they should make it more up to date and relevant by getting the AB to flop around on the floor like wounded moose, diving sideways in the pile up and then roll around in the channel pretending to get up but actually sealing & killing off the ball and then McCaw can crawl underneath it all and hand the ball backwards with the signature sign-off move (instead of throat slitting) of an IRB sponsered ref mincing over to the huddle to award them a penalty try before the game even kicks off because the opposition didn't immediately wet their pants in fright.

I dont want to see the Haka removed, I like it and it adds to the spectacle for me - although different folks, different strokes.

However, I want to see the IRB lift this ridiculous rule they have (not New Zealand) of teams not being able to respond.

I love the responses and they can really add to the atmosphere of an occasion on top of the Haka. For instance the Welsh response a couple of years ago, many people think it was an unneccessary delay and a bit of nonsense, but personally i loved it.

It doesn't help when people like Ma' Nonu come out with remarks about responses being disrespectful, but I believe if you offer a challenge to an opponent, it should be accepted whichever way its wanted (within reason - aka I wouldnt be down with a team hurling raw poultry at the All Blacks, rubber chickens though, another matter).

All in all, I think its taken a bit too seriously by rugby union in general, the game should be the talking point.

I actually do like the Haka as it is and thought the French response was pretty damn cool. Looked great.

But I couldn't help poking a bit of fun at it because some people take it all way too seriously and get precious about it.

Que the Morris Dancing Jokes.

TycroesOsprey wrote:Or we could all have our own haka and everyone gets to perform one.

I'm not sure we are ready to witness the Newport formation 'White Lightning' drinking team (under 12's catagory) zig zagging about the park.

Or the sons of St David running onto the pitch and setting fire to the NZ dug out...

...actually no... I think I could watch that.

Followed by the Islington Hot Hatch (illegally obtained catagory) Society dough nutting around in the 22 in 1.1 litre Fiat Punto's with flames painted on them, a huge pointless whale fin on the back and an exaust so big it could be used for commiting war crimes.

It appears to me that only a handful of countries take the Haka too seriously. France, Aus, SA, Argentina and the PI countries seem pretty cool with it. May be its got something to do with either
A) beating the ABs often enough
B) having their own version of it
C) mainly focussing on the rugby
D+) other ideas that I can't think of right now

This has been blown up out of all proportion,the IRB is reacting in a stupid fashion,all that is required is common sense.
The idea of the Haka is a challenge,HOW it is reacted to should be upto the teams concerned.
The idea the Haka is something of recent invention is fallacious,it may not have been performed in the homeland much.
BUT it was" de riguer" in the touring teams going back as far as I can remember.
I remember it from the 1953-4 and 63-4,67 sides to UK,it was abandoned I think during 1972-3.But was reinstated at the opposing sides request,at one time the Boks did a Zulu war dance.
Fiji,Tonga,Samoa all have a similar challenge it just a bit of showmanship.

This issue has nothing to do with the Haka, it's traditions or it's place in the game. The sole issue lies with the IRB's guidelines around how teams can respond.

NZ didn't fine France, or complain to the IRB. All of the headlines in NZ are about how poor this is from the IRB. Please stop pointing the finger at a rather enjoyable aspect of the game (from a neutrals point of view) and focus on the money grabbing pirates that are the IRB.