All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen welcomed England’s response to the Haka and is baffled why World Rugby chose to fine them.
“I think their [England’s] response was fantastic,” said Hansen.
“They didn’t get fined for responding with what they did, they got fined because they went over the halfway [line]. And everyone knows you can’t go over the halfway.
“Joe [Marler] didn’t go back when he got told two or three times. I thought the response was brilliant. If you understand the haka, it requires a response. It’s a challenge to you personally and it requires you to have a response. I thought it was brilliant, quite imaginative too.”
Eddie Jones’ team were fined £2,000 by World Rugby after six players crossed the halfway line as they received the challenge, which breaches tournament rules.