LONDON (AP) — It was all too easy for Joe Marler this week.
Not involved in England's autumn series opener against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday, and sat at home for personal reasons, Marler fired up X and wrote the haka “needs binning. It's ridiculous.”
Marler was being Marler, being mischievous. As if a spotlight-loving England prop at the end of his playing days is going to affect New Zealand rugby's signature pre-match challenge since 1888. Sure, Twickenham crowds usually drown out the haka by singing English rugby anthem “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” but the players cherish taking it on as much as the All Blacks enjoy performing the Maori dance.
Before World Rugby, the self-appointed haka police, dampened tensions by separating the teams by law, the haka produced some of rugby's greatest theater. The 1997 standoff between England's Richard Cockerill and New Zealand's Norm Hewitt still resonates.
The response to Marler was predictable.
New Zealanders were offended, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson was bemused, and England captain Jamie George hoped Marler hadn't “prodded the bear.”
“It was classic Joe,” George added. “Joe and I don't always agree on everything and we disagree on this topic.”
This test on Saturday didn't need Marler's 'help’ to hype. The most expensive tickets England has sold for a home test outside the Rugby World Cup — up to 229 pounds ($295) — have been long gone for months.
England beats the All Blacks so infrequently — eight times in 45 matches — that it puts each one on a pedestal, and losing twice in New Zealand in July has made England all that more desperate for a first home win since 2012.
But England will start cold on Saturday. That summer tour featured its last games.
In the meantime, the All Blacks have played the Rugby Championship and failed to win it for the first time since 2019.
Problems with holding onto leads and scoring in the last quarter — they led world champion South Africa twice at halftime — weren't addressed until the sixth and last match of the championship, a 33-13 win over Australia in Wellington five weeks ago.
Warhorse Beauden Barrett has been retained at flyhalf after starting there for the first time in nearly two years in Wellington. But Barrett is a temporary filler while the All Blacks wait for the fickle Damian McKenzie to settle in the role.
Barrett has been reunited with his younger brothers in the starting lineup; center Jordie returns from a knee injury and captain and lock Scott was rested from the tour-opening romp in Japan last weekend.
The All Blacks have been rebuilding since the World Cup in France a year ago, as has England.
New talent such as George Furbank and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has injected excitement into England's attack beside the smarts of flyhalf Marcus Smith and No. 8 Ben Earl. Earl is also covering inside center because of a 6-2 split on the bench prompted by coach Steve Borthwick's desire for a stronger finish from his pack, a lesson from the New Zealand tour.
He is also trusting center Henry Slade to rock up after only 55 minutes of action this season following shoulder surgery, and given Bath scrumhalf Ben Spencer a first test start.
After England blew late leads this year against France and the All Blacks twice, Borthwick wants his side to learn how to close out games.
He's also been dealing with backroom issues since the July tour after losing Aled Walters, the head of strength and conditioning, to Ireland, and Felix Jones, the defense coach credited with their blitz resistance. Jones blamed his stunning exit after seven months on a reportedly “unstable working environment.”
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
FILE - England's players lock arms as New Zealand perform the haka ahead of their rugby union test match in Dunedin, New Zealand, Saturday July 6, 2024. (Steve McArthur/Photosport via AP, File)
