Kiwis cross line with haka, Smith

World Cup disappointments England are doing their best to get under New Zealand skins by taking a calculated shot at their haka.

The English have no regrets about snubbing the haka in Newcastle on the weekend and set the scene for semi-final fireworks by claiming any accusations of disrespect should be aimed at the Kiwis.

Coach Tony Smith shone the spotlight on NZ for encroaching on his team’s side of the field and the Maori practice of showing tongues.

Instead of facing the traditional pre-match war-dance, England went into a team huddle, effectively turning their backs on the Kiwis.

In response, the NZ players performed their haka on the move and progressed over the half-way line before its conclusion.

Smith today denied his team was in the wrong, and had no issues with repeating the pre-match tactic in Saturday night’s semi-final at Suncorp Stadium.

“We did what we always do in England when anyone gets motivated, they get in groups and huddle around each other and that’s really what we did,” Smith said in Brisbane.

“It wasn’t meant as any disrespect, and we did it in our half of the rugby league ground and if there was any disrespect shown I think there was some shown the other way.

“We certainly didn’t stick tongues out and we didn’t enter into the opposition’s half of the field.

“Our boys just got together in making sure they were all motivated just like the opposition were motivated in going through their traditions. I think our traditions should be respected as well.”

While former Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki bellowed the English actions were disrespectful, NZ’s extra motivations were nowhere to be found in Newcastle.

England jumped to a 24-8 lead before the Kiwis ran over the top of them in the second half to win 36-24.

Smith indicated his players would decide whether to front up to the haka in Brisbane while skipper Jamie Peacock said they would discuss it later in the week.

Australian teams have learned they ignore or make fun of the haka at their peril.

In 1996, the Wallabies chose to run some passing drills down the other end of the field during the All Blacks pre-match routine and were subsequently thumped 43-6 in a record loss in Wellington.

Kangaroos forward Willie Mason paid the price for laughing and swearing during the Kiwis haka in 2006 when David Kidwell knocked him senseless with a ferocious tackle. Kidwell followed up by screaming at a motionless Mason who finished the game with a facial injury.

“That’s (NZ’s) choice what they do and we choose to do what we do,” said Smith. “I don’t see it as any part of the game.

“It all starts when the referee blows our whistle and that’s where the rugby league should be decided.

“We shouldn’t encroach on each other and we certainly didn’t encroach on them at all.”

Stand-in skipper Benji Marshall invited the English to deploy the tactic again, saying it would add to the motivation of the Kiwis.

“A few of the boys felt as though it was a bit of disrespect but they had every right to do what they done,” Marshall said.

“If they want to do it again, that’s fine.

“It will fire us up definitely but there will be no emotional side to it where it’s going to put us off our game.”

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