One of the most iconic scenes in world rugby is the pre-match ritual performed by New Zealand, but some fans and pundits have suggested it should be scrapped.
However, former scrum-half Piri Weepu has aired a strong defence for the ritual and explained: “it’s in our DNA.”
Don’t know why but I’ve been reading comments from people saying we should scrap the haka before games for the @AllBlacks It’s been a tradition for a long time and that’s part of our history and culture. It’s in our DNA.
— Piri Weepu (@piriweepu) February 1, 2019
He famously led the Haka prior to the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.
#TBT to this spine-tingling @AllBlacks haka before the #RWC2011 final… pic.twitter.com/e0tmwuJHv5
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) January 31, 2019