Yokohama (Japan) (AFP)
They advanced by forming a "V" beyond the center line ... The England XV players defied the All Blacks' haka "before the World Cup semi-final they had won (19-7), Saturday in Yokohama.
The English are positioned in "V", points to the opposite of the All Blacks, and a part of their players were arranged beyond the median line that the teams very often do not cross during the haka, traditional Maori dance performed just before the kickoff.
The referees asked them to step back behind the line.
"We wanted to show them that we were ready, that we were all together and ready for anything," said English center Manu Tuilagi after the match, "I think it was something different, I think it's (the idea) came from Eddie ", Jones (the coach), he continued.
"We did not want to be spectators and face in a straight line," said captain Owen Farrell.
"I do not think that's why we won, but it was to show that we were ready for the challenge," Tuilagi continues.
Obviously, this British initiative did not affect the performance of New Zealanders. "Their progress on our haka did not affect our performance, they dominated us in the rucks, we had no fastball," said captain Kieran Read.
The two previous initiatives against Haka in World Cup were set up by the XV of France.
In the final of the World Cup-2011, the French, led by their captain Thierry Dusautoir, had also formed a "V" by holding hands against the New Zealanders, finally victorious 8-7. The only difference: the French had pointed the tip towards the All Blacks before moving in line in their direction.
Four years before, in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup, the French had donned T-shirts to represent the blue-white-red flag and had advanced to the center line to challenge the All Blacks very closely. They had imposed themselves (20-18).
© 2019 AFP