Throat-cutting gesture in haka may go

Piri Weepu's fiery commitment to the gestures in the All Blacks' haka has unnerved some delicate observers. Ross Land / Getty Images

The throat-slitting gesture at the end of the All Blacks' new haka might not be seen again after a flood of negative reaction in Britain.

All Blacks rugby captain Tana Umaga today staunchly defended the haka but conceded the gesture at the end of Kapa o Pango -- performed last weekend against England -- might be reviewed.

"I suppose so, and that's maybe something we'll have to look at," Umaga said today.

"We didn't really think it would cause as much reaction. We've stated what it means and if people don't understand it, then what can we do?"

The act of running a thumb across the throat, performed to menacing effect by Maori halfback Piri Weepu, has been viewed as signifying the slaughter of opponents.

But Kapa o Pango's composer Derek Lardelli explained earlier this year that it was misunderstood.

"Playing rugby at this level, with this intensity, is the cutting edge of sport.

"The players are on the knife edge. They are gladiators in the arena. If they win they are heroes, if they lose they are taken apart."

Columnists in the leadup to Sunday's 23-19 win over England said the haka should be banned, with one saying the throat-cutting gesture would be grounds for arrest if performed on a street.

Another said the gesture was "nonsensical" and the All Blacks were becoming "impossibly pompous and precious" about the haka, and former Welsh international Gerald Davies was just as outspoken.

"If the haka and its correctness arouses so much sensitivity and acrimony, perhaps it is time, sadly, to disregard it altogether," Davies wrote in The Times.

Umaga and All Blacks coach Graham Henry both rubbished the idea of banning the haka today.

"It's part of us -- they can ban it if they want to. Teams are intimidated by it and they don't like it, so they want to get rid of it. It's always the same," Umaga said.

"It's part of our culture and part of our history. We do it mainly for ourselves because it connects us with our country while we're away from home."

Henry was even more to the point.

"I think that's absolute rubbish. It's a very important part of our tradition in rugby," Henry said.

"This side have dissected the haka and made sure they know what it all means and is very much part of the culture of the team.

"The new haka represents the different cultures in the team -- apart from Maori and European, Samoan, Tongan and Fijian -- and they understand that."

- NZPA