5 mental things teams have done to respond to the Haka

Rugby News
Wednesday, 25 September 2019 at 17:00
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It is one of the most fearsome sights in sport. Its unique nature incorporates New Zealand's culture while also putting on quite the spectacle.
But what could other countries do in response? Here are some off the cuff ideas.

1. Nice T-Shirts

France not only delivered their own message of defiance, wearing T-shirts in the colours of the tricolore and standing inches away from their opponents' noses, they also won the game, 20-18, to prompt the biggest bout of World Cup agonising in New Zealand since the previous one.

2. 'The Richard Cockerill'

Richard Cockerill, showing all the self-restraint and composure which has characterised his coaching career, decides that the best way to mark his England debut is to square up to Norm Hewitt before a Test at Old Trafford. "What the **** have you done?" is Martin Johnson's reaction as he pulls Cockerill away. 

3. Middle-class singing

Twickenham's tuneful attempt to drown out the All Blacks' 'Kapa O Pango' - the one reserved for opponents they really don't like - had the desired effect: England pulled off a rare victory and have hardly stopped talking about it since.

4. The Munster haka

When the All Blacks played Munster in a tour game in 2008, the Limerick side undermined that advantage by returning the favour. Doug Howlett, who scored 49 tries for New Zealand, Lifeimi MafiRua Tipoki and Jeremy Manning stood up to their countrymen by pre-empting the ritual and performing their own haka.

5.  Ignore them

Of course, the obvious thing to do while all that nonsense is going on is just to look the other way. A smart piece of psychological chicanery? Not really. The Wallabies promptly suffered their then heaviest-ever defeat to the All Blacks, losing 43-6.

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