France fined

[Marco]

France was hit with the most idiotic fine in rugby history: for having crossed the halfway line while confronting the haka.

So it is OK for New Zealand (and Fiji, and Samoa, and Tonga) to threaten the opposition - because that is what a haka means - but it is not allowed to step past the halfway line.

Everyone (including the New Zealand union and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu on Twitter) is calling this fine "retarded", or more or less polite sinonyms.

[Froggie]

ABs were so far back from the halfway line that even by crossing it France didnt disrupt them. This is jobsworths who have never played trying to justify their over inflated egos / salary

[Marco]

ABs were so far back from the halfway line that even by crossing it France didnt disrupt them. This is jobsworths who have never played trying to justify their over inflated egos / salary

Amen.

And they are trying to give every possible advantage to NZ.
The hakas are challengers. It is idiotic to forbid to face it as one deems appropriate.
OK if there was a prohibition to TOUCH the opponent while they do their creepy faces, but what the fuck?

[Goshdarnit]

Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous. I loved their challenge. Sent shivers down my spine, same as the Irish one, and even the Lions one. Then there was that Welsh one. I love the Haka, but I also love watching how the other team responds. It's all part of the show.

Retards.

[Marco]

I loved their challenge. Sent shivers down my spine, same as the Irish one, and even the Lions one.

That is what I prefer of the New Zealand haka, actually - the response the opposition gives.

Tonga in 2003 starting their own, France in 2007 wearing red, white and blue with Chabal at the centre barking at them, South Africa at the 2006 Junior World Cup (Frans Steyn and Spies in the team) singing Shosholoza...

New Zealand should check the 1970s hakas to realize that they are making far too much of a fuss about it.

[Goshdarnit]

New Zealand should check the 1970s hakas to realize that they are making far too much of a fuss about it.

Very true! They didn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of the opposition with the Haka back then!

However, in fairness, I don't think that on this occasion that the complaint came from New Zealand at all. I don't think they said a word about it.

[Marco]

in fairness, I don't think that on this occasion that the complaint came from New Zealand at all. I don't think they said a word about it.

No, actually they asked the IRB to waive it.

It all started from when Wales went REALLY close to their faces.

As someone said on the Italian rugby mailing list, occasionally I just dream of some team's big guys stepping up and slapping some of the khaka-dancers square in the face.

[Goshdarnit]

It all started from when Wales went REALLY close to their faces.

I don't have a problem with that at all. It's a physical and psychological challenge. I hate it when people expect the haka to be allowed to happen as some kind of sterile spectacle. It's about challenge and psychology. It's not a piece of theatre. It's war.

[Marco]

I don't have a problem with that at all. It's a physical and psychological challenge. I hate it when people expect the haka to be allowed to happen as some kind of sterile spectacle. It's about challenge and psychology. It's not a piece of theatre. It's war.

I am thinking of the best responses to the haka I can think of, and ALL of them included some sort of confrontation.

Excluding Italy I think in 2008 or 2009 - they huddled up and ignored them. I loved that one.

[Froggie]

I am thinking of the best responses to the haka I can think of, and ALL of them included some sort of confrontation.

Excluding Italy I think in 2008 or 2009 - they huddled up and ignored them. I loved that one.

I would like to see a traditional English morris dance. The one where you hit your mate on the head with a really big stick