Accepting the challenge

I had to explain certain rules and practices of international rugby to Bob Tickler who was sitting next to me for England v New Zealand.

He noticed and noted Mako Vinipola and Joe Marler were encroaching on the Haka – for which England have now been fined – and I said at the time to him “They have taken up the challenge”.

This was the line of coach Steve Hansen too. The notion that All Blacks and the Polynesian islands have their own war dance (the Haka is the best part of the match between New Zealand and Tonga) does not meet with universal approval and the fine is playing into those critics hands.

Yes it’s part of our culture and the All Black ethos but I have seen much worse disrespect e.g. David Campese kicking a ball around deep in his own half during the Haka.

And what are you supposed to do? Stand in a line looking on like a load of wusses?

The fine lowers the moral authority of the international board, not that England will be bothered … they won handsomely.

Richie McCaw had called the performance the best 80 minutes of rugby he has ever seen.

I heard the game plan of the All Blacks was to hammer England in the first 20 minutes. If anything it was the other way round and left New Zealand tactically in shreds.

Eddie Jones is not just a wily tactician but a brilliant motivator and in his preparation he got his boys in top top condition.

Mixing with our fans who are extremely well-informed in the traveling group and of course Wayne Smith, who is such a brilliant coach, we inevitably talk of the All Blacks of yore.

Whether it was Dave Gallaher dying in 1917 in Passchendale after enlisting to avenge his younger brother in World War One and the inspiration of the turn of the century All Blacks by finding a gap in the rule book to invent the wing forward; Don Clarke;  the incomparable Colin “Pine Tree” Meads; Kel Tremain; Sir Brian Lochore and the modern nonpareil Jonah Lomu who hid his kidney condition and paid the ultimate sacrifice, Michael Jones, Dan Carter – who will be playing for the Kobe Steelers – and Richie McCaw, these are the men of the black jersey and silver fern that made New Zealand famous as I doubt how many of our PMs you can cite.