I think TJ Perenara and the All Blacks cocked up the haka by pledging support for the hikoi.
They picked a side, forgetting that the All Blacks represent all of us.
It was clear TJ was expressing support for those who marched onto Parliament, by inserting it into the most sacrosanct part of the match.
Presumably, it wasn't just TJ, as the whole team was doing the haka.
Mess with the haka when Māori don't agree with what you have done and expect hell to pay. Change it up to support the hīkoi - sweet as.
Now, I won't be popular with those who shout the loudest, they will attack me for this, but they will see what they want to see and ignore the rest.
Besides, it's not compulsory to have the same opinions as everyone else, is it?
But I reckon TJ only told Razor and Skipper Scott Barrett half the story.
They appeared to be confused as to why and what was said but were sure TJ said it was about 'unity at home'.
Unity of those on the hīkoi, but NZ stands firmly racially divided over the hīkoi, I suspect.
I also thought this team represented all of New Zealand, from the eight-year-old Maori boy in Kaitaia to the 88-year-old grandmother in Riverton.
But it has quickly turned into an embarrassing end of year home goal which has left a few of them with egg on their face and having to explain - and we know explaining, at times, is losing.
Hear me out. The thing is, the All Blacks usually get good press, fawning press from the NZ media, who are so scared of doing anything that might see them lose their privileges.
For me… I do not give a right royal shit. I have nothing to do with them, and sure, I love the ABs like the next Kiwi, but I'm also an objective, independent journo and commentator who doesn't rely on access to the team to put a feed on the table so I will tell you the unadulterated truth and give you the strongest opinion of anyone on this.
I think the All Blacks have been caught out and cocked this up.
I think they have two positions on the haka and TJ's support for the hikoi… and it’s now overshadowed his final game and sadly, Sam Cane’s, too.
This is slightly embarrassing for the team, and makes for an uncomfortable end of year finish.
The last thing the All Blacks want to do is get too political and align with anything that can see them inadvertently siding with a political party.
Mix with politics and the shit not only stinks, it's hard to wash off.
It sticks to you like a virus.
And it comes down to what TJ told Razor and what Razor thought it was, compared to what is actually was.
Here's my take … TJ apparently told Razor it was about the unity of the people at home, and Razor has swallowed it, hook, line and fresh snapper.
What TJ knew was Māori people had come together, not the whole country.
If anything, the bill divides NZ by those who marched and those who are angry about the marching - those who back Seymour and those who don't, those Pakeha who feel left out of this debate and those Māori who feel Seymour is taking precious hard earned rewards and privileges away.
It’s the damn opposite of unity, TJ. Nice try, but you sold a pup to Barrett and Robertson, who both commented afterward that it was a show of unity
Argh, not quite.
The All Blacks confirmed the f*ck up by editing out the start of the haka and TJ's breathless supporting chorus when they posted it on the official All Blacks page.
Nothing like the head honchos at corporate HQ deleting something to draw further attention to it.
Classic.
Why not post it? Is it because the ABs management got further clarification about the 'unity at home'?'
And what did you think was going to happen by choosing the world stage to make this big chest beating moment?
TJ has become a bit bigger than the game .
And the game was shite, the worst advertisement for rugby, maybe the ABs were too busy reading the Treaty Principles Bill rather than the game plan for the weekend.
Did TJ really have to overshadow the game with this, or could he have done something personal on the day off the hīkoi - his own short video. Yeah, but he wouldn't be occupying the world stage then.
Getting into bed with politicians always means you’re going to have to shower twice at the end of the day. It never ends well, and you’ll always feel grubby.
The All Blacks need no distractions and should stick to rugby. They don't have to be walking poster boys for the hīkoi. It can be stuffed up and end in tears, and the only statement they made came with knock ons and dropped balls.
I get it that TJ is proud of his Māori heritage and he's been one hell of a competitor, but has he read the bill? Seriously, has he?
Has he made a submission to the Select Committee? Has he written to Seymour about his feelings? What is it that he’s upset about? Has he even gone and seen his local MP? How genuine is the outrage?
Is NZ Rugby taking a stand against Seymour, are they formally backing the hīkoi?
Is it the team, a few players, the entire squad, the entire rugby union or just TJ?
I tell you what, once you sort your set piece and stop kicking out on the full and getting yellow cards and start playing the code with some accuracy then maybe you can start thinking about protests.
And let's be honest, doing that to the Italians was pointless. They were none the wiser!
But you are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play top rugby and we are still waiting for that ... intense haka, shame about the rugby.
The Italians out- passioned us, we won the protest, they won the contact, TJ had his three seconds of fame - no one is any the wiser.
Being an All Black comes with heinous levels of scrutiny, but lots of fame and fortune, and anything the All Blacks do outside the norm will be heavily scrutinised.
So what do the All Blacks stand for and who do they stand by - how do they decide?
Far too many NZ children die at the hands of their parents or caregivers. Let's march for those kids, and TJ, will you join us?
We kill our kids, we are still violent, we are also obese, will we march for our future survival - do the All Blacks go on the next climate march?
What about Trans rights?
When the Māori Health Authority was ditched, did you say anything, TJ?
This is a case of it being lost in translation… poor old Razor and Scott Barret got told that it’s about 'unity at home', said TJ. 'Sounds good Teej', said Barrett and Razor.
It's just that TJ left out the bit where the hīkoi was unified against Seymour's and Luxon's agenda.
Are they just playing dumb deliberately, or did they genuinely think the country had come together, it's either one or the other?
But it’s been untidy.
And explaining is losing.
But you could always look at it as the best distraction ever. It means no one is focusing on how shit the game and how shit the All Blacks were.
Unconvincing all round… sums up their year, really. Oh well. There's always another haka to perform.
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