A Rangitikei rugby team's advance on their opponents' haka backfired when they were penalised for it before the game had even started.
The Rangitikei College first XV were playing Taranaki's Stratford High School in the Jack Porter tournament in Hawke's Bay on Friday.
Rangitikei decided not to perform their haka and instead face up to the Stratford challenge.
"We stood shoulder to shoulder on the 10m line," said Alan Simmons, coach of the Marton-based secondary school.
"When they continued their haka, the boys just moved forward in a line, still arm in arm."
Simmons said they advanced about 5m.
"There was no disrespect from our team, in fact, it was accepting the challenge - we advanced as if we were not going to be intimidated.
"It was a good sort of face-off. We walked up and they accepted the challenge."
Instead, Simmons said Stratford were awarded a penalty on halfway to start the game.
Stratford kicked for touch and scored in the opening minutes before running out 32-12 winners.
Simmons understood sides facing a haka were supposed to stay on their 10m line, but didn't think Stratford were upset by the challenge.
"It was probably just the interpretation of the referee. He could have accepted it for what it was. I haven't seen a penalty awarded for haka protocol breach before, put it that way.
"It's no biggie. It was no problem from out point of view. It just happened."
Former All Black Norm Hewitt who was fronted by Richard Cockerill during a pre-test haka in 1997 said it was an interesting stance to take, though he acknowledged he didn't know what the agreed protocols were.
"I know that over the years there's been various comments made and various discussions around that."
Hewitt said he "absolutely" supported advancing on a haka provided it was respectful.
"What is a haka? If you're starting a challenge, who's going to meet that challenge?
"If there are no rules then maybe there needs to be some in place."
France were fined £2500 ($4545) for breaching World Rugby protocol when advancing over the halfway line during the All Blacks' haka before the 2011 World Cup final.
Last week a match between Otago Boys' High School and King's High School became heated when King's crossed the 10m line while performing their haka.
Otago Boys' took exception to the breach and retaliated by advancing, and some OBHS players came into contact with their opponents.