Why do New Zealand perform the haka?
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England face New Zealand at Twickenham this weekend and fans inside the ground will have the opportunity to witness their famous haka.
Haka are traditional ceremonial dances that originate from native Maori culture in New Zealand.
Both the men's All Blacks and women's Black Ferns rugby teams perform their own unique hakas.
These group performances incorporate chanting, stomping and facial expressions.
Traditionally, haka was a way to welcome and entertain visiting tribes, but it also served to prepare warriors before heading into battle.
It is also used to acknowledge achievements and to mark occasions or funerals.
The haka is also famously performed in sporting events to challenge the opposition before a match.
It sets out to prepare teams mentally, physically and spiritually while honouring and showing respect to the Maori culture.
It was first introduced in sport when the New Zealand Native rugby team toured the United Kingdom in 1888.
The haka soon became synonymous with New Zealand rugby and was incorporated as part of the All Blacks pre-game routine.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson said "it is part of who we are, it's our DNA."
"It is not just about the All Blacks, it is about us as a country. It means a lot to us," he added.
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What are the rules around it?
In rugby union, World Rugby laws state that teams must stay within their own half while the All Blacks are performing the haka.
At the 2019 Rugby World Cup, England's players lined up in a V formation to receive the challenge, with some crossing the line. England were later fined.
In 2024, England international Joe Marler called for it to be scrapped, which he later apologised for, with the incident sparking a backlash from New Zealand.
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said the haka was "hugely important to us and has been to the All Blacks for a long time - we get a lot from it".
"It's bigger than rugby in a sense," he added. "You speak to people from America and lesser-known rugby nations and they know rugby in New Zealand for the haka, so it is huge for us and unites us."
Last autumn, England responded to the challenge by moving towards the All Blacks in unison to end up on the halfway line at Twickenham.
Which haka is performed?
The All Blacks adopted the famous 'Ka Mate' as their pre-game haka, but have used other variants since the 1980s.
Kapa o Pango, translated in Maori as 'team in black, is a haka specifically designed for the All Blacks and has been performed since 2005.
The All Blacks alternate between Ka Mate and Kapa o Pango at the team's discretion.
One player is assigned to lead the haka, often someone of Maori heritage - but this is not mandatory.
New Zealand's women's team also has their own unique haka, which was created specifically for the Black Ferns and first performed in 2013.
Called 'Ko Uhia Mai' - which translates to 'let it be known' - it represents pride, strength and unity of the team.
The haka is also performed by the New Zealand national rugby league teams - their version is known as 'Te Iwi Kiwi'.
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