Welsh forced to hear haka

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 52

Welsh forced to hear haka

NZPA Cardiff The All Black rugby captain, Wayne Shelford, put a new slant on the traditional haka before yesterday’s tour match against Newport at Rodney Parade. On tour the All Blacks have seen their opposition adopt a variety of stances while they perform the haka. Pontypool had stood on the halfway line and stared at the All Blacks, while other club teams have bunched in a huddle inside their half of

the field. Yesterday Newport grouped together in a circle deep inside the 22 metre line at one end of the ground. So Shelford led his team right up to the edge of the 22m line. “They were standing a long way away right down by the posts and maybe couP ’ have heard it,” Shelford saiu Crowd reaction during the haka has varied on tour from a respectful roar to jeering to the

Neath spectators chant of “Neath, Neath”. Shelford said the team was not particularly worried at the crowd behaviour. “You’ve got to expect that but I don’t think the guys really worry about that too much nowadays.” Asked if the All Blacks would again move down the field if Wales adopted a similar tactic in Sunday’s test at Cardiff Arms Park, Shelford replied, with a smile: “We’ll see.’’