England prop Joe Marler has fired a shot at the haka. Photo: www.photosport.nz
England prop Joe Marler has added some spice to this weekend's clash with the All Blacks at Twickenham, saying the haka "needs binning".
Marler, who has previously fired shots at the pre-match challenge, took to social media to air his views.
"The Haka needs binning. It's ridiculous," he wrote on X, before adding: "It's only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the league boys did last week."
TJ Perenara of New Zealand leads the haka. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Marler was referring to last week's rugby league international between Samoa and England in Wigan, when the hosts stood toe-to-toe (and head-to-head in some instances) with the visitors as they performed the Siva Tau.
The scenes brought a fresh round of calls from rugby fans and pundits for opponents to stand up to the pre-match challenges, rather than standing back and watching.
England were fined at the 2019 World Cup when Marler and others crossed the halfway line during the pre-match ritual in breach of World Rugby's "cultural challenge" rules.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Referee Nigel Owens intervened and sent several England players back.
While Marler seems to like the idea of confronting the haka, he will not get the chance against the All Blacks this weekend.
He broke his foot in England's defeat to the All Blacks in Dunedin in July and is still sidelined.
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