All Blacks Captain Barrett States Marler’s Haka Comment Has ‘Loaded the Gun’

The All Blacks team, led by captain Scott Barrett and including his brothers Beauden and Jordie, is scheduled to play England this Saturday. This Autumn Nations Series match between England and New Zealand will take place at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday, 2 November, with a kick-off time of 15:10 GMT. Coverage will be available via live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, alongside live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. New Zealand’s captain, Scott Barrett, stated that England prop Joe Marler “loaded the gun” following Marler’s contentious suggestion that the All Blacks’ haka should be abolished. Marler, aged 34, subsequently issued an apology for describing the renowned pre-match ceremony as “ridiculous” and advocating for it to be “binned” in a post published on X on Tuesday. The experienced Harlequins player will not participate in England’s initial autumn fixture at Allianz Stadium on Saturday due to personal reasons; however, All Blacks second row Barrett indicated that the impact of the comments had already occurred. Responding to the dispute on Friday, Barrett remarked, “He has probably loaded the gun hasn’t he?” He continued, “I guess there are always opinions about the haka and its place. It’s hugely important to us and has been to the All Blacks for a long time – we get a lot from it.” Barrett further emphasized its significance: “It’s been a huge part of the All Blacks. It’s bigger than rugby in a sense. You speak to people from America and lesser-known rugby nations and they know rugby in New Zealand for the haka, so it is huge for us and unites us.” England is contemplating their approach to the haka during Saturday’s match, but Barrett asserted that his team “do not need any extra motivation.” The 30-year-old player added, “In those moments, whatever the team brings and you end up facing, you love it.” He elaborated on their perspective: “If they walk forward it means they are up for the first whistle. If that happens, we know we are in for a good Test match.” Barrett concluded, “We don’t need any extra motivation heading to Twickenham against a team that would desperately love to beat us, so we have got to respect what is coming.” In contrast, England prop Ellis Genge expressed that he “loves” the haka and maintains that it retains its relevance in Test rugby. The 29-year-old stated, “I’m on board with it, I love the haka.” He continued, “We’ll chat about it later on, we’ve got a meeting and we’ll see what the craic is.” Genge clarified their intended response: “We’re not going to start climbing on each other’s shoulders, but we’ll sit there respectfully and watch it.” Reflecting on his experience, he noted, “I’ve only faced it once [in 2022]. It’s massive in the history of the game. Most people who aren’t necessarily too interested in rugby still know what the haka is.” Genge concluded, “I know some people are divided on it but I quite like it. It’s bit of a challenge. I’m a big fan of it and I don’t think we should get rid of it. You should be able to respond, but everyone is respectful when they do that.” England has not secured a home victory against New Zealand since their record 38-21 win in 2012. Bristol prop Genge commented that the ambiance at Allianz Stadium, previously known as Twickenham, would be vital for England’s potential success. In an interview with BBC Sport, Genge further remarked, “I want the crowd on their feet. If the stands are shaking, that would be brilliant. But you have to give to get back, so hopefully we give them something to cheer about.” He emphasized the importance of the match: “This is the top of the stage, you want to win every game you play in. We are in a position with the talent we have to commit to it and see where we get.” Genge concluded by highlighting a critical period: “The fourth quarter will be massive. It’s when 80% of Test matches are won or lost and hopefully that is when the crowd will be loudest.” The England squad consists of: Furbank; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Lawrence, Freeman; M Smith, Spencer; Genge, George (capt), Stuart; Itoje, Martin; Cunningham-South, T Curry, Earl. Replacements include: Dan, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, B Curry, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford. The New Zealand squad features: Jordan; Tele’a, Ioane, J Barrett, Clarke; B Barrett, Ratima; Williams, Taylor, Lomax, S Barrett (capt), Vaa’i, Sititi, Cane, Savea. Replacements are: Aumua, Tu’ungafasi, Tosi, Tuipulotu, Finau, Roigard, Lienart-Brown, McKenzie. The match officials are: Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia); Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France) & Jordan Way (Australia); TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa).