Beard, bald and good looking? Or just hairy and scary?
Karl Haitana has become an unlikely pin-up boy for Northland rugby.
The burly frontrower is making waves with his new bushy beard and smooth hair statement.
The reason the Northland teammates are appearing woolly around the chops lately is to raise awareness for
the NZ Blood Service and the NZ Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.
It seems the campaign, called "Beards for Blood", is growing on The Taniwha.
In the last week of the regular season the beards will get the chop, and hopefully some money and awareness will have been raised for the cause.
Northland have adopted the concept team-wide with management also opting to remain unshorn.
But it is whiskered Haitana who has the become the talk of the competition.
First he reckoned he was going for the wild gorse look with the beard. But tired of that style, he decided to surprise his team mates in the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury last weekend with an extraordinary haircut.
He enlisted the help of halfback Luke Hamilton, who expertly shaved Haitana's head but left a longish mullet-looking mane flowing off the back of his head.
Haitana said the style was inspired by Bronson Murray and his family.
"They're from Whangapae and they all have hair like that up there."
Team manager Hayden Taylor said the hairstyle was only unveiled by Haitana as he was about to run onto the pitch.
"He warmed up with a beanie on so we had no idea what was underneath. He got a fair bit of television coverage out of it though."
On Monday, the long locks were lopped off, leaving Haitana with a solar panel on top:
"I had to get rid of it I didn't want to distract my team mates."
He's not so keen on the latest style saying it's too short.
And as for the next style, he's not sure.
He contributes his lush beard growth to the use of Herbal Essence shampoo.
A website has been created for people to make donations. The Taniwha aim to raise $1000 and already one fan has donated $50.
Help The Taniwha reach their target, by going to www.shaveforacure.co.nz
