Why do rugby players do the haka

He says he's trying to encourage the introduction of video analysis to review how players are performing the Haka. In his eyes, a good Haka can lead to a better performance on the pitch.

Like a well-drilled rugby team, Crawford adds that the Haka requires precision: "Your eyes -- are they in the correct position? Is your body? Are you standing correctly?

That's one of my pet things with players is to say, 'Video analyze yourself. You can do better. What is the Haka? A well-executed Haka, coupled with a powerful riposte from the opposition, can be more memorable than a game of rugby itself. If the Haka is, after all, a challenge, then meeting and accepting that challenge is part of the battle. It took much persuasion and whistle blowing from referee Jonathan Kaplan to separate the two teams and get the game under way.

At the and World Cups, French players linked arms and edged towards the New Zealand team while the Haka was being performed.

The two sides ended inches away from each other. Meanwhile, in an Australian team chose to ignore the Haka altogether, instead carrying out warm drills deep in their own half.

Barrett Brothers: The All Blacks' star family Schools in New Zealand perform their own version of the Haka. This is the hairy man for the Maoris hairy is equivalent to brave That brought the sun, and made it shine again One step up!

Another step up! One step up! Kia rite! Kia mau! Kia whakawhenua au i ahau! Hi, aue! Ko Aotearoa, e ngunguru nei! Hi, au! Aue, ha! Ko kapa o pango, e ngunguru nei! I ahaha! Ka tu te ihi-ihi Ka tu te wanawana Ki runga i te rangi, e tu iho nei, tu iho nei, hi! Ponga ra! Kapa o pango! Aue, hi!

It is my moment! The passion ignites! Ko Aotearoa, e ngunguru nei! Hi, au! Aue, ha! Ko kapa o pango, e ngunguru nei! I ahaha! Ka tu te ihi-ihi Ka tu te wanawana Ki runga i te rangi, e tu iho nei, tu iho nei, hi! Ponga ra! Kapa o pango! Aue, hi! Let me go back to my first gasp of breath Let my life force return to the earth It is New Zealand that thunders now And it is my time! It is my moment! The passion ignites! This defines us as the All Blacks And it is my time!

The anticipation explodes! Feel the power Our dominance rises Our supremacy emerges To be placed on high Silver fern! All Blacks! Silver fern! More from Sport. Football The departure of Liverpool's 'laptop guru' leaves a big hole to fill.