Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson has been criticised for mocking New Zealand's haka by creating his own version ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which gets underway on Friday.
The traditional Maori dance is performed by current world champions the All Blacks prior to every game in order to intimidate their opponents.
In a video campaign with clothing brand Jacamo, Dawson, who won the World Cup with England in 2003, has teamed up with Battersea Ironsides rugby club to perform the 'hakarena'.
The dance incorporates New Zealand's pre-match ritual with the 1994 hit the Macarena, which has prompted former co-leader of the Maori Party Sir Pita Sharples to criticise the stunt.
"By doing a haka as the All Blacks do, it's recognising the worth of the other side," the Daily Mail quotes Sharples as saying. "So if they're doing something to mock the haka, then I think that's pretty shameful.
"The haka is very meaningful to us. To actually mimic it and deliberately bring it into ridicule is, to me, insulting."
England will begin their World Cup campaign with a clash against Fiji at Twickenham on Friday.
Watch Dawson's 'hakarena' in the video below:
Danielle Joynson
