After calling for the removal of the New Zealand haka, the whimsical English pillar withdrew. He apologized on his X account, which sparked the controversy which spread to New Zealand. The clash between England and the Blacks (Saturday 4:10 p.m.) is off to a good start.
Joe Marler in the text. The English prop is well known in the world of Rugby for his eccentricity. Capable of touching the private parts of the Welshman Alun Wyn-Jones in the middle of a Tournament match in 2022 or of insulting Thomas Ramos as a “little slut” during a European Cup match, Marler does not leave anyone indifferent. Last example, his controversial tweet on the haka. The England international (95 caps) tweeted on Monday that “the Haka must be removed. It’s ridiculous.”
A message as short as it is explicit, which created a diplomatic incident on the other side of the globe. The New Zealand Sports Minister gave a salty response. “Who is this Joe Marler? I’ve never heard of him, blurted out David Seymour. In my career, I’ve met a few pillars with a high IQ, but very few. Maybe it’s of that…”
Aware of having touched a symbol of the culture and identity of the island, Marler retracted his statement Thursday evening on his X account. “Hello rugby fans. I just wanted to intervene here and apologize to New Zealand fans who I upset with my slurred tweet earlier in the week I had no malicious intent in asking for it (the haka) to be removed, I just want to see the restrictions lifted to allow one. response without sanction.”
Beyond the controversy, the historic pillar of Harlequins raises a real problem, that of the difficulty for the opponent to respond to the haka. In history, only a handful of teams have dared to challenge New Zealand during this ancestral ritual. France, of course, did it successfully during the quarter-final of the 2007 World Cup, coming to challenge Dan Carter’s teammates face to face. Marler uses this example to argue. He wants the regulations to be simplified to allow the adversary to react.
Very (too?) structured responses to the haka
“How good were the responses from Cockerill/Hewitt, Campese, France 2007, Tokyo 2019 or Samoa vs England? Creating entertaining drama before kick-off. My casual attempt to spark a debate around this topic was lame and I “Should have explained things better” he added in a second post.
During the haka, opposing players are prohibited from crossing the halfway line, according to the rules established by World Rugby. During the 2019 World Cup semi-final against the Blacks, Joe Marler crossed this line and England was fined 2,000 pounds sterling. Saturday November 2 (4:10 p.m.), the All Blacks are expected at Twickenham for a clash that promises to be a tough one, the Blacks’ first in Europe in this autumn tour. Absent for personal reasons before the controversy, Joe Marler will not be on the field. But the haka will still be scrutinized a little more closely than usual.
