All Black Craig Dowd tears into team over 'disrespectful' Haka in Chicago

Former All Black Explains Why Haka Against Ireland In Chicago Was ‘Disrespectful’

With much being made of the emotional tribute to the recent passing of Munster and Ireland legend, Anthony Foley, former All Black and ESPN Rugby columnist, Craig Dowd, has revealed his embarrassment at the ‘disrespectful’ haka performed by the All Blacks on the day.


“I have to say I watched the haka and cringed. Someone didn’t do their homework in the All Blacks camp,” Dowd wrote in his column for ESPN.

“Knowing a little bit about the Irish mentality and having had a 64-test cap veteran and ex-Munster coach Anthony Foley die recently, with all the players wearing black armbands and having a moment’s silence for him before the game, and knowing what that meant to the Irish team and the public, I thought pulling out the Kapa O Pango haka was disrespectful.”

“I’ve been to funerals and you do the Ka Mate haka to honour a warrior and it is different to doing the battle cry, or war cry, of Kapa O Pango which is a more aggressive challenge. “I thought, ‘you guys haven’t done your research here, you haven’t actually thought through the process’.”

His comments have caused discord back home, where the Breakdown reacted with surprise at his attack on the All Blacks.


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