Rugby: English mock All Blacks with Hakarena

Players from English side Battersea have teamed with Matt Dawson to make their own haka. Photo / Youtube

England have unveiled their own "secret weapon" to counteract the All Blacks' haka - a mocking version of the war dance led by World Cup winner Matt Dawson.

The 'Hakarena', a video launched by British menswear retailer Jacamo ahead of the Rugby World Cup, features Dawson and players from London club team Battersea Ironsides performing a routine that fuses the haka with 1994 dance song Macarena.

Dawson leads the routine and implores English fans to adopt the dance to counter any advantage the All Blacks receive from the pre-match ritual.

"England have an amazing chance to be crowned world champions for just the second time in their history, but, there's a major obstacle - the All Blacks," Dawon says to start the video. "The current world champions are in amazing form with awesome power, strength, depth and one secret weapon - the haka.

"They are using it to intimidate us. They think they've got an advantage over us. They think they've won the game before a ball has even been kicked.

"But I'm telling you what, we've got our own secret weapon. Have a go at the hakarena, maybe we'll put the All Blacks off their rhythm."

Dawson, a World Cup winner with England in 2003, told paperblog.com: "I thought my professional dancing career was over when I was runner-up in Strictly back in 2006, but as you can see I've still got a few killer moves left.

"I've taken a fair bit of ribbing from my old England team-mates about the Hakarena but I think there may be a bit of jealousy involved. I think England have got a good chance in the forthcoming World Cup but I wouldn't recommend they perform this routine before their games."