£10,000 fine for France

[g]

For disobeying the IRB and not standing the required distance during the Haka. How pathetic.

[Old Hob]

Well, I hope the NZ board pays it for them out of shame.

[Granby]

Have they received a fine for daring to give the precious AB's a game or for making Kiwi fans everywhere sit through an hour of squeeky bum time?

Perhaps if the Haka was performed in the dressing room this issue would go away and we could just get on with the rugby.

[divingrob]

Time it was ended anyway, Keep it for friendlies but not proper games

[parkerd68]

I'd love to know the translation of that particular haka. It seems a much more aggressive one than the "standard" one they seemed to use for so long.

I know it's not strictly an act of war, but I believe it is a challenge to the opponents.

God alone knows what the IRB would have done to Cockers all those years ago when he went nose to nose with Norm Hewitt!!!!!!

[bluntiger]

Absolutely pathetic. Not only do NZ sing their National Anthem, they also get to perform the Haka. Now the IRB are dictating how receiving teams address the haka? They should be able to address it however they like but with respect.

England should insist on morris dancing before a game, Ireland should do a riverdance routine and Scotland should insist on tossing a Kaber!

[Jose]

Truly pathetic, but no worse than I expect from NZ and the IRB. It is utterly ridiculous that they are allowed to dictate not just that they get to perform the haka immediately before the match, but also how the other team has to behave whilst it is ongoing. As long as the response is not overtly disrespectful or mocking then opponents should be free to do whatever they like. This situation has been allowed to continue for far too long by the spineless IRB. France should refuse to pay and make an issue out of it.

[kingol22]

The haka is meant to be a challenge, so why can teams not take this challenge up?
Even experts in the haka say that it is a challenge and when people take it up they earn respect, at least they did.

I can understand the reasons for keeping the haka as it is a great spectacle but it is even better when teams stand up to it, the moment the french started walking towards them you could tell it was going to be a great game. I hope more teams take up the challenge.

[biffer]

It's ridiculous. The fact that they've changed the haka means that they're piddling about with their own traditions. If they don't respect them themselves, why the hell should anyone else?

I thought the French response on Sunday was magnifique, the arrowhead moving forwards must have looked brilliant from up high in the stands, but the precious little luvvies in the kiwi team don't like it.

Seems to me there's no reasonable response to it anymore, other than to cower and go 'ooooh, aren't you fantastic and scary', in the eyes of the New Zealanders.

If it was me I'd probably just not pay any attention to it now, away and warm up with the ball.

[paula123]

Absolutely pathetic. Not only do NZ sing their National Anthem, they also get to perform the Haka. Now the IRB are dictating how receiving teams address the haka? They should be able to address it however they like but with respect.

England should insist on morris dancing before a game, Ireland should do a riverdance routine and Scotland should insist on tossing a Kaber!

I can just see Manu waving his hankie !!!

[biffer]

Absolutely pathetic. Not only do NZ sing their National Anthem, they also get to perform the Haka. Now the IRB are dictating how receiving teams address the haka? They should be able to address it however they like but with respect.

England should insist on morris dancing before a game, Ireland should do a riverdance routine and Scotland should insist on tossing a Kaber!

That's caber, sassenach.

[kingneptuneii]

the only way this will change is if other unions stand up like the WRU did a few years ago.

"do it in the tunnel/changing room before the anthems, or don't do it at all!"

[G.K]

Just proves that the IRB is completely AB centric. I hope the French tell them where to put their fine.

[CJ]

and after France had won the toss on what colours to wear and chose to wear white so the All Blacks could wear black at Eden Park. get real, URB. so pathetic

[GS]

Let them do their little dance and then the whole opposition team produce table tennis bats with scores on as in 'Strictly'. I thought it wrong when the IRB set down regulations about how to receive the haka but this is just a joke.

Best response so far was the Irish advance into the dance, followed by the Welsh refusal to move first when the little darlings had finished.

Best response now? The French politely tell the IRB where to shove their fine and ban the haka at the Stade until an apology is made. Oh, and the stupid regulation's withdrawn.

Is the real reason for this fine and the others for wearing the wrong mouth guard (for Pete's sake) to sub the Kiwis because they couldn't make money out of the tournament? Or is it to pay for the IRB 'hospitality'?

BTW, not that it really matters, I thought it was the Scots who made them do it in the tunnel