It's completely got out of hand; it used to be a bit of harmless fun.

Fush & chups

The NZ Haka gets more ferocious with each performance. And will continue to do so until the All Blacks actually win something. They haven't done so for 21 years. Finally winning the World Cup again will take the lead out of their pencil.

Another way of looking at it is: the Haka is their badge or brand ikon; it will only ever be as good as the brand performance. Which, right now, and for years, has been damned good. If they start being crap, the Haka will become a sad flop.

And a third way of looking at it is: in the Haka they tell you what they're going to do to their enemies. And, with the dirty, take-no-prisoners, win-at-all-costs, cheating way they play rugby these days, the All Blacks are only delivering what they promise.

I enjoy the Haka, but I disagree with Nonu's comments this week that it was disprespectful for the Welsh to stare them down. The Welsh were playing at home and didn't do anything silly like turn their backs or ignore it. They faced it as they should. Well done Wales!

I think that the Haka is an important part of the New Zealand rugby tradition / brand heritage and would hate to see it removed.

I do however think that it is up to the opposition team to decide how they wish to respond and if standing and staring is the way Wales chose (I am not welsh BTW) then that is their decision.

Had the New Zealand team turned away straight after finishing the Haka then there would have been no more said about it so why was the onus on the welsh to be the ones to back down?

In my opinion they were simply accepting the challenge that the Haka presents!

I thought the crowd at Twickenham drowning out the Haka was an equally good response

It does seem that every time a team comes up with a good response to the haka some kiwi pipes up saying that it was disrespectful. Give 'em hell I say.

Good lord. Can you imagine catching the high ball off the kickoff after all this has just gone on.

www.youtube.com/watch

New shorts please...