Former All Black Tony Brown’s influence on the Springbok camp has led to the change of attitude towards the Haka from the Springbok management, and the reason why Rassie Erasmus wants the crowds to keep quiet and take it all in.
While the history of the haka, and the challenge it elicits from the Boks is well-known, previous Bok teams have confronted it head on and looked to stare it down. Some coaches have even suggested turning their back on it, while Jake White always wanted the Boks to have time to remove their tracksuits after it, to ensure that the haka wasn’t the last thing before they go into the kickoff.
But Brown’s influence on the Boks extends not only to their playing style, but further than that.
Erasmus revealed that he had a session with the Bok camp where he spoke extensively on the meaning of the haka, what it especially means to the team and the significance of it as opposition, leading to a bit of a change of heart by the Bok camp.
RESPECT NOT FEAR
The team never feared the haka, but the expectation has always been that the haka needs to be met head on and steely determination needs to be the counter. Now the Boks are told they need to enjoy it and take it all in, and not see it as a threat that needs to be countered.
It is an interesting way of looking at the challenge laid down by the All Blacks, especially as it has become a pre-game spectacle that has been exploited for social media clips with cameramen, microphones and often even spider cams hovering between the two sides.
In the end it should just be a challenge between two teams and it is clear the Boks see it as such.
“ In the past we always thought about how we were gonna handle this, but since Tony has explained to us what it is - it's not what it does to us, it's what it does to them. And you can't nullify what the haka does to them,” Erasmus explained.
“That's why I ask, please, if you're gonna write it or tweet it — we'd like the crowd to stay silent - because it's really special facing it. You can ask him, I faced it as a player, and if the crowd really hears it and sees the guys' faces, it's something we love — after that we can erupt, South Africa can go crazy after the haka.
POWERFUL
“But if we really experience it, it's something very powerful, and it's something that you're proud to be part of. So trying to take away what they just got out of the haka, you can't. They do it themselves. Since Tony explained to us, it doesn't scare us. We enjoy it. And then it mvoes to who is kicking off and what is my role there. So that's how we handle that.”
Erasmus revealed that despite all the success the team has had, there are still nerves going into this game, and the Boks are excited about the prospect of facing their arch enemies.
“I want to answer this question correctly because I'm always very mindful. When we were No 6 in the world, and All Blacks and England and Ireland were talking just about the big teams, who is No 1, two and three in the world, it wasn't a nice feeling that people didn't even talk about us.
“Obviously you have to work your way back into contention. But I'm also gonna lie if I tell you this is not for me personally one of the most enjoyable, and obviously nerve-wracking games to be involved in.
BOKS ADMIT TO BEING NERVOUS
“As I'm sitting here, I'm nervous. I'm not gonna pretend I'm not nervous. He's nervous (pointing to Damian Willemse), the team is nervous, our supporters are nervous. But I'm pretty sure it's the same on the other side too.
“We can look calm, we can speak in a way that it looks like we are 100 per cent in control, but no, it's massive. It's a very emotional thing to have the privilege to face the haka.
“Since Tony has told us what the haka means, we obviously respect it, but we admire it a little bit more. And you won't see us doing funny tricks when they do the haka.. We've always had this weird opinion about the haka as an advantage — why can the All Blacks do it?
“Snce he's described it for us, it's actually an honour for us to face it. I would like to stand there still, 'cause I miss it. And the players are looking forward to it
“So I think it's right — if it isn't the greatest rivalry, hell, then it's by a small margin. It's a very emotional, proud thing to be part of.”
Once the Haka is performed, the teams will climb into each other and the Greatest Rivalry test series will be upon us. Like Erasmus it is a moment few can wait for.