Rugby: 25 years on from the most infamous haka England ever faced

Richard Cockerill of England confronts Norm Hewitt during the haka ahead of a 1997 test in Manchester. Photo / Getty

For England fans, there are four matches against New Zealand in the professional era that are indelibly imprinted on the mind: the pre-2003-World Cup win in Wellington; the flawless 2019 World Cup semi-final; the unexpected blitz at Twickenham in 2012; and the 25-8 loss at Old Trafford in 1997. That latter tussle is not remembered for anything involving an oval ball, however.

It was the day that Richard Cockerill, the former England hooker and current lieutenant of Eddie Jones, squared up to his opposite number, Norm Hewitt, during the haka. Many different responses to the haka have been witnessed since – from arrowheads to smirks – but Cockerill’s was, and remains, as notorious a skirmish as international rugby has seen.

The writing was on the wall. Even as the England hooker sprinted out from the Old Trafford tunnel, his face was apoplectic, screaming and spitting as he entered the field. Then, after the respective anthems, Cockerill boils over again, roaring at the Manchester crowd and flailing his arms as if to whip them into a frenzy.

As the haka begins, England collectively approach halfway and, with Hewitt leading the ceremonial dance, Cockerill gets his opposite number in his sights. Cue one of the most iconic moments in the haka’s illustrious history. Cockerill picks Hewitt out, stares down his barrel and squares up to the Kiwi. Hewitt performs the haka with Cockerill a hair’s breadth from his own grill, with poor referee Jim Fleming failing in his attempts to separate the two players, and the rest is history.

Twenty-five years on, Telegraph Sport walks through the confrontation with some of the main players: Cockerill and Hewitt themselves, alongside Jason Leonard and Darren Garforth, England’s two props that day.

Richard Cockerill: “Firstly, [Sir] Clive [Woodward, England head coach] said to find your opposite number and stand opposite him; what I didn’t understand was that he meant from about 20 metres away! I took him at his word.

“It was my first start for England on home soil, and probably my point of difference was my tenacity. I’m not sure I was the most skilful of players, but I was very competitive and very tenacious and was always generally up for the battle.

“It was just my way of doing it in an England shirt. It wasn’t really for effect; at the time, it’s what I meant. I was 27-years-old, had played five or six years at Leicester and that was how I played.”

Norm Hewitt (to the New Zealand Herald): “It was like there were only two people on that field. At one point, I thought to myself ‘if I had had a patu [club] I would have cut his head off’ – and I was going into that place.

“I don’t know why... it was a big game and we were going to war and he’s my enemy, [a] kill or be killed scenario. I likened it to that and, yeah, I suppose it is now part of that folklore.”

Jason Leonard: “It was slightly surreal. We know Cockers [Cockerill] is a fiery character. And Stormin’ Norm on their side is the same as well. There was an unwritten rule that you don’t step over the 10-metre line, or whatever it is, and you’re not allowed to go past halfway.

“I was on one side of him and Darren Garforth, his Leicester team-mate, was on the other side. And the haka is a challenge. They’re throwing down the gauntlet and we needed to accept that challenge; you were eyeing up your opposite number just to let him know: ‘Ok, we’re up for this. We know you are, but we are, too.’

“Before we knew it, Cockers started moving forward. And you have to back your team-mate up, so Darren and I moved either side of him. Norm moved forward from the New Zealand side, so Cockers did similarly, and then we moved forward again. Before you knew it, they were head-to-head and in each others’ faces. Eventually, we had to peel them apart.

“Before that, though, I remember Darren Garforth shouting out: ‘Smack the t---!’ And I looked around a bit taken aback by it, but it was a bit of a storm in a teacup and nothing really happened.

“Anyway, we slowly went to the sidelines after to take off our tracksuits, to get some more Vaseline – we were really stringing it out to take the heat out of the New Zealanders after their haka.

“Anyway, as I’m taking off my tracksuit bottoms, Darren was beside me. I look at him, one of the best characters in the game, and I took him to task: ‘Darren, what are you doing, mate? You’re shouting that out just before the game starts. You’re almost starting a fight before the game’s even started. What are you doing telling Cockers to smack Norm?’

“He just turned around to me, completely dead-pan, and said: ‘No, I was telling their bloke to smack our t---.’ And then the pair of us were just giggling; giggling before a game against one of the best teams in the world. You couldn’t make it up.”

Richard Cockerill has gone on to join the ranks of Britain's top rugby coaches. Photo / Photosport

Darren Garforth: “That sounds about right.”

Leonard: “Darren and I were just chuckling away like... you idiot. What was he doing? But did I have a problem? No. It was a tough game and we all had a few beers with them in the bar afterwards. And that’s what rugby is all about. There was nothing said afterwards as far as I’m aware. But, you did watch it at the time and think: ‘What is he doing?’”

Garforth: “I remember Norm getting close and, obviously, when Cockers played he was a handful so, when I saw Norm coming towards him, I thought: ‘There’s only one way Richard Cockerill is going and that’s towards him.’ It was a bit tense at the start and then the adrenaline kicked in. I knew Cockers was going to get stuck into him and they got a bit close but it all just panned out, a few words were said, and then we went back for the kick-off.”

Cockerill: “I looked at [England lock] Johnno [Martin Johnson] afterwards and I was expecting some help from my club team-mate, and he just looked at me and asked: ‘What the f--- have you done?’ I didn’t really know – but I don’t regret it. It’s a challenge that was laid down, it’s part of the game!”

Garforth: “The first couple of scrums were a bit tasty, needless to say! But it was just a small part of what happened on the day.

“We all had a few beers and a good night out; how it used to be. Not a lot was said after, it was just part and parcel of the game.

“I don’t think Cockers and Norm Hewitt got on very well after that. I know there was an incident down in New Zealand, on the Tour of Hell. But that’s hookers and Richard Cockerill for you!”

Cockerill: “Norm and I have had a couple of encounters since then, from a playing point of view, and had a few beers together.”

Will you be advising Luke Cowan-Dickie or Jamie George to follow your lead on Saturday?

Cockerill [laughs]: “I think those days are gone. So, unlikely.”