The British media were divided over the haka stand-off after the All Blacks' crushing 45-10 win over Wales yesterday.
New Zealand's decision to perform the haka in the dressing room was commended in some quarters and the Welsh Rugby Union slammed for insisting that it be sandwiched between
the two national anthems.
However, others believed the All Blacks took their protest too far when the haka was a tradition to be appreciated by all.
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"Their insistence on putting the haka on such a lofty pedestal is unlikely to win them many friends," Nick Cain wrote in the Sunday Times newspaper.
Former Welsh international Eddie Butler agreed in the Observer. "The only thing they got wrong was not doing the haka in public before the game, a prickliness over protocol that revealed a certain pomposity."
The Independent on Sunday said the WRU had no problem with the All Blacks' action, opining that the union's bluff had failed abysmally.
"The WRU got a response all right - although it was perhaps not the one they were expecting. It was less 'Ka Mate' and more 'ta-ta mate'," the paper said.
"They [crowd] felt short-changed, like a fan who goes to see Tom Jones and he neglects to do Delilah."
So when was the last time that New Zealand kicked off without their favourite boogie? Well, not as far back as most first expected.
Record books were dusted down, historians consulted, but it was the memory of a legend which pointed out that until the 70s the haka was not a regular sight at all. Barry John was on hand to declare that in all the times he lined up against the All Blacks he could not remember them doing it once.
"Barry, that's because it's hard to dance when you're on knees and bowing," said one wag. For the Welsh there wasn't much else to smile about here.
Not surprisingly, the Wales on Sunday devoted plenty of space to the test, including the haka quarrel.
A front page photo of the All Blacks performing Ka Mate under the grandstand ran under the headline "Haka-ed Off".
- NZPA
