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<blockquote data-quote="BokMagic" data-source="post: 91610">Firstly, on the issue of respecting past traditions- there are way too few traditions left in the great game of Rugby. The only 2 I can really think of is the 4-yearly Lions tours and the Haka. Those things are sacred IMO, and should NEVER be tampered with. If all the fine traditions of rugby union continues to be eroded, soon we`ll be left with international &quot;friendlies&quot; like in soccer- oh sorry, almost forgot- some idiot at the IRB has already talked about a &quot;friendly&quot; earlier this week.Where are the fine traditions of &quot;what happens on the field, stays on the field&quot;? All too often nowadays we have coaches talking up a big game before the match, opponents making money selling &#039;exclusive&quot; material during their retirement biography. Tours have all but gone, only the Lions tours remain.As I am not Maori, I cannot offer any thoughts wrt the Haka protocol, as I haven`t lived in the specific culture- but if NZ were assured that the mid-anthem Haka on last year`s tour was a one-off to celebrate the Welsh centenary, and the WRU now went against that, well then I reckon I`ll say fair play to NZ for defending the fine tradition- after all, we do not want the Haka to become a sideshow, there are enough sideshows in international rugby these days anyway.For the record, I have a huge respect for McCaw as one of the few players left with a respect for the great traditions of rugby union- look at the way he refused to make a big media scene after being targeted by Elsom and co. during this year`s tri-nations.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="BokMagic, post: 91610"] Firstly, on the issue of respecting past traditions- there are way too few traditions left in the great game of Rugby. The only 2 I can really think of is the 4-yearly Lions tours and the Haka. Those things are sacred IMO, and should NEVER be tampered with. If all the fine traditions of rugby union continues to be eroded, soon we`ll be left with international "friendlies" like in soccer- oh sorry, almost forgot- some idiot at the IRB has already talked about a "friendly" earlier this week. Where are the fine traditions of "what happens on the field, stays on the field"? All too often nowadays we have coaches talking up a big game before the match, opponents making money selling 'exclusive" material during their retirement biography. Tours have all but gone, only the Lions tours remain. As I am not Maori, I cannot offer any thoughts wrt the Haka protocol, as I haven`t lived in the specific culture- but if NZ were assured that the mid-anthem Haka on last year`s tour was a one-off to celebrate the Welsh centenary, and the WRU now went against that, well then I reckon I`ll say fair play to NZ for defending the fine tradition- after all, we do not want the Haka to become a sideshow, there are enough sideshows in international rugby these days anyway. For the record, I have a huge respect for McCaw as one of the few players left with a respect for the great traditions of rugby union- look at the way he refused to make a big media scene after being targeted by Elsom and co. during this year`s tri-nations. [/QUOTE]

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