Thursday, July 06, 2006

Handbags at dawn


New Zealand's rugby union team has criticised a promotion for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against the Wallabies, which shows the All Blacks performing their traditional haka with handbags.

The Bledisloe Cup promotion makes light of a recent pub incident in Christchurch, in which former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga belted a team-mate with a woman's handbag.

Channel Seven's digitally enhanced haka shows the New Zealand players all wearing handbags.

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith described the ads as disrespectful.

"It's insensitive, I think, to Maori and disrespectful of all the All Blacks," he said.

An amused Australian coach John Connolly refused to be drawn on the issue.

"Mate, I haven't seen those yet," he laughed. "I haven't seen them."

The Australian Rugby Union said it had no control over, or input into, the promotions for the Test match.

I haven't found the Handbag Haka YET , but here is the original.

3 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

there is a school someplace in texas with a family of new zealanders and the boys taught the team how to do the haka and the first time they came out on the field before the game and did it...? wow, the entire place freaked out...i am sure none of them rednecks knew what the fuck was going on...they won that year too...

Anonymous said...

I'm becoming to like your sports, (with guys in shorts) a little more each day. :)

dom said...

There was outrage a month or so back when the NZ all blacks finished of the haka with a slit yer throat sign. I know it's a war dance , but that's plum silly lol.I'd love to have seen those rednecks faces :)
Debbie , I'll pack my short shorts for you when I move :)