All Blacks boss Scott Robertson has responded to Joe Marler’s comments around the haka ahead of the clash between England and New Zealand at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

The England prop, who has left the squad due to personal reasons, sparked the debate around the All Blacks‘ cultural challenge earlier this week with his posts on social media platform X, formerly

Joe Marler stirs the pot

“The haka needs binning. It’s ridiculous,” Marler wrote on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old then added: “It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the league boys did last week.”

He would deactivate his account shortly afterwards before returning and writing: “Context is everything. Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture. Some wild responses. Big Love x. Also needed to satisfy my narcissism.”

His comments have led to a plethora of articles and posts online calling for the All Blacks to stop performing the haka.

Others believe that it should remain while some insist that teams should be allowed to respond to it and shouldn’t have to remain so far back due to World Rugby’s regulations.

Meanwhile, Robertson has named his team for Saturday’s match which features 12 changes to the starting XV that soundly beat Japan last week.

‘Could have articulated himself better’

After doing so, the All Blacks boss was asked for his response to the England prop’s remarks and Robertson wondered if the front-rower wished he had articulated his point better.

“I know Joe. I wonder if he wishes he could have articulated himself better on that,” Robertson said.

“The Haka for us it’s a custom, it’s part of who we are, it’s in our DNA.

“You can use it to welcome somebody, it’s for occasions it’s for joy and also for challenge. We use it as a challenge and we believe it’s a great tradition of rugby of rugby that all Pacific nations do before to honour where they come from.

“It’s not just about the All Blacks, it’s about us as a country, so it means a lot to us.”

As mentioned above, World Rugby’s regulations require teams to be at least 10 metres back from a cultural challenge, which was part of Marler’s criticism.

Robertson says that this is a sign of respect but adds that teams and fans can respond to the Haka in different ways and slipped in a cheeky dig at South Africa after the debacle caused with a plane flying over during the challenge at Ellis Park earlier this year.

“We have to dig a little bit deeper into how that is obviously it’s the respect thing isn’t it from there, what does it do respectfully, how do you create it as something that when they’re finished can you show a sign of respect,” he explained when asked if teams should be allowed to respond.

“The crowd enjoys it, they see it is a special occasion, how often do we come up here and some clap? Some put a plane over the top – whatever it is, there is a lot of meaning behind it and whatever the response is, it has got to be meaningful.”

England’s arrowhead in 2019

Former All Blacks boss Sir Steve Hansen said that England’s response to the haka, by forming an arrowhead ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final, was ‘fantastic’. Marler was at the centre of the controversy then too as he progressed past the 10-metre mark which ultimately led to a fine.

“They didn’t get fined for responding to the haka – they got fined for coming over halfway,” Hansen said at the time.

“Joe didn’t go back when he was told two or three times. The haka requires a response. It’s a challenge to you, personally, and it requires a response.

“I thought it was brilliant and quite imaginative, too.”

Robertson agreed with the ex-All Blacks head coach’s assessment.

“There was a clear meaning behind and it was respectfully done – great that’s what we are all about,” he said.

When asked if he expected something similar this week, he added: “Look, it’s all I’ve heard about it and after that it’s a distraction so whatever they come up with we’ll face it.”