Amid a groundswell of frothing outrage in New Zealand in response to Joe Marler’s comments about the Haka, here’s an alternative view: He’s done wonders in terms of interest and forecast ratings on Saturday.
Who’s going to miss it now? Suddenly, a powerful stare of attention falls on a marquee event that was in danger of flying under the radar for much of the public in this country and beyond.
Everything was quiet, everything was calm, everything was a bit low-key and – honestly – a bit boring. Not now. The fuse is lit. There is tension and expectation.
Rugby is a sport that doesn’t sell itself very well or generate box office hype, but the job is done by someone who isn’t in a marketing department… although he certainly could be.
What Marler did was dare to express doubts about the Haka ritual, which is seen by many as sacred and not open to discussion or, heaven forbid, criticism.
Amid a groundswell of frothing outrage in New Zealand in response to Joe Marler’s comments about the Haka, here’s an alternative view: He’s done wonders for interest
What Marler did was dare to express doubts about the Haka ritual, which is seen by many as sacred and not open to discussion or, heaven forbid, criticism.
In 2019, England’s arrow formation, complete with Owen Farrell in the middle and Marler advancing well past half-court on one side, set the tone for an epic victory
Part one of the promotional strategy involved the veteran Harlequins prop posting a message on X (formerly Twitter) saying: ‘The Haka needs to be thrown away. It’s ridiculous.’
With the shockwaves of that vision still reverberating, Marler clarified his opinion, posting, “It only makes sense if teams actually answer it. Like the guys in the league did last week.”
That was a reference to the scenes before the kick-off of the England-Samoa Test rugby league match in Wigan last Sunday, when the visitors performed their traditional war dance challenge, the Siva Tau, right in the faces of the home players, with some opponents literally pitted against each other.
The images quickly went viral. Would that have happened if the teams had been kept apart? Of course not.
Within hours of Marler’s comments, he was forced to delete not just the posts, but his entire account, such was the magnitude of the ‘pile-on’. Some of the responses he received were disgusting and unprintable, as the toxic world of social media stirred in protest.
It is worth noting that Marler has not been ordered by the RFU or English management to delete his posts or his account. He’s not in trouble for saying what he said.
Expressing personal views, even if polarizing and sensitive, is not prohibited by any code of conduct – provided they are not deemed to have been unnecessarily offensive, which is not the case here.
It is a sad sign of the times that a debate cannot happen without toxic rhetoric. Instead of defending the Haka ritual, many Kiwis and others simply attacked Marler. But his point was valid, once he made the clarification.
Perhaps the best reaction from the crowd in the Welsh capital came in 2008 when Richie McCaw and his All Blacks completed their Haka, only for Ryan Jones to lead the hosts in a tense stalemate.
Marler also referred to the Rugby League Test between England and Samoa last Sunday, when the visitors performed their traditional war dance challenge right in the faces of the home players.
The Haka should not be banned or ‘thrown away’, of course not. It is a tradition that draws audiences to the sport while representing cultural heritage. It is the calling card of the All Blacks around the world and a popular attraction wherever they go.
It is also undoubtedly a powerful part of the commercialization of a national team, which has become such a leading ‘brand’ for oval balls.
But Marler is right; it is absolutely best when there is an answer to the challenge. Very few people who weren’t in the stadium at the time will remember a certain Haka as the opposition dutifully stands twenty yards away, silent and passive, as New Zealand works themselves into a state of excitement before kick-off.
On the one hand there is channeled aggression, on the other hand there is often passive opposition.
That’s not a memorable spectacle or a balanced build-up to a fire-and-brimstone Test match. It is generally better if the team given the challenge does something other than stand still and watch.
Everyone will have their favorite memory of such an episode and this correspondent has several, spanning the professional era.
Cast your mind back to 1997, when England took on the All Blacks at Old Trafford and Richard Cockerill came face to face with his rival hooker, Norm Hewitt. It was a confrontation that has entered folklore. The challenge has certainly been met.
A series of such incidents took place in Cardiff in the early 2000s as Wales looked for ways to ruffle Kiwi feathers. There was a time when opera singer Wynne Evans delivered a spine-tingling rendition of Bread of Heaven after the Haka, creating a fiery atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium.
The following year, New Zealand were so outraged at the prospect of another Haka response that they performed it in their dressing room.
Perhaps the best of all in the Welsh capital came in 2008 when Richie McCaw and his All Blacks completed their Haka, only for Ryan Jones to lead the hosts into a tense stalemate and refuse to back down. When McCaw finally stepped back first, the commotion was gone.
France suffered the war dance to devastating effect at the 2007 World Cup and almost repeated the feat four years later in Auckland in a close-encounter final.
Within hours of Marler’s comments, he was forced to delete not only the posts, but his entire account
Steve Borthwick’s England will play New Zealand on Saturday
In 2019, England’s arrow formation, complete with Owen Farrell in the middle and Marler advancing well past the half on one side, set the tone for an epic win.
It’s not always worth it for teams that take on the challenge. Sometimes they poke the bear and are blown away by incensed opponents. But from a performance perspective, it’s worth breaking the usual routine. And in terms of spectacle it is infinitely better.
Marler is right; without a response the Haka show may be too sanitized. Get teams to respond to it and it’s box-office gold.