Poua haka during the Super Rugby Aupiki. Photo: Marty Melville
Super Rugby Aupiki team Hurricanes Poua will perform a haka at their match against the Chiefs Manawa on Friday.
At their match against the Blues women's team last Saturday, the Hurricanes Poua skirted their usual pre-match ritual following weeks of controversy surrounding their season opening performance which criticised the coalition government.
Read more: Haka, sport and politics
Hurricanes Poua coach Ngatai Walker and co-captain Layla Sae said the decision to skip the haka was made by the team.
"We just decided as a team we weren't going to do the haka this week," Sae said last Saturday.
In a media release sent before their game today, the Hurricanes confirmed the haka would be performed and the team's pre-game karanga would pay respect to the people and land of Manawatū.
Coach Walker said it was important fans and stakeholders understood the full meaning of the karanga and haka.
"We want to ensure our fans know the meaning behind the karanga and the team haka to ensure there is clear understanding of the team's intent. The karanga will acknowledge the local people and land in Manawatū, while also drawing on the strength of Papatūānuku, and the power the players draw from being united and strong as wāhine.
"The karanga is a powerful tikanga [customary practice] performed by wāhine and will add to the power and focus of the haka and the game, which we will need against a very strong Manawa team in Palmerston North."
The game kicks off at 4.35pm at Central Energy Stadium, in Palmerston North.
