England prop Joe Marler has apologised for a “poorly articulated” social media post before Saturday’s match against New Zealand, where he said the haka “needs binning”.
The 34-year-old called the haka – a pre-match ritual challenge – “ridiculous” in a post on X on Tuesday.
But Marler said on Thursday he “should have done better at explaining things” and was “grateful” for the education he has received since.
“Hey rugby fans. Just wanted to jump on here and say sorry to any New Zealand fans I upset with my poorly articulated tweet earlier in the week,” Marler posted on X. “I meant no malice in asking for it to be binned, just want to see the restrictions lifted to allow for a response without sanction.
“I’m grateful for the education received on how important the haka is to the New Zealand culture and hope others have a better understanding too. Now roll on 3pm on Saturday for a mega rugby occasion. England by six points.”
Marler will not feature in the Autumn Nations Series opener at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, having left the team camp for personal reasons before posting his initial comments.
The Harlequins player deactivated his X account following his initial post, before reactivating it to claim he was “just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture”.
But amid criticism from various political and cultural figures in New Zealand, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Marler could have chosen his words better.
“The haka for us is a custom – it is part of who we are, it’s our DNA,” added Robertson. “It is not just about the All Blacks, it is about us as a country. It means a lot to us.”
In rugby union, regulations prevent opposing teams crossing the halfway line while New Zealand are performing the Maori war dance.
In 2019, England were fined £2,000 for crossing halfway as they lined up in a V formation to face the haka before their Rugby World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand.
Current England captain Jamie George said Marler had “prodded the bear a little bit” before Saturday’s match, which kicks off at 15:10 GMT.
“Joe and I don’t always agree on everything and we disagree on this topic,” he added.