Mock haka scrapped as NZ coach warns Aussie

Sydney - Australian rugby officials have bowed to public pressure and dropped a plan to imitate New Zealand's "haka" before Saturday's Tri-Nations decider at Sydney's Olympic stadium.

With tensions rising between the teams, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) swiftly cancelled plans to mock the traditional Maori war cry in the pre-match entertainment after All Black coach Wayne Smith said it would insult indigenous New Zealanders.

"It was intended to get the crowd involved in something that was humorous. Some people think it was meant for other purposes and that's disappointing," ARU chief John O'Neill said.

"We respect the haka and what it means to New Zealand rugby and the Maori people and Polynesians in general and we'd never want to upset them."

The dispute over the haka, a traditional Maori war cry made famous by New Zealand rugby teams, had threatened to overshadow one of the biggest matches on the rugby calendar.

Not only is the southern hemisphere's annual championship at stake but the match will also be Australian captain John Eales' last test appearance.

Eales is hanging up his boots after 86 tests and a glittering career in which he has achieved every major honour in the sport, including captaining the Wallabies to victory in the 1999 World Cup.

Australia's players are keen to send their captain off on a winning note, but Eales said it was too big a match to get sentimental.

"From an Australian point of view, there is no game each year where there is a stronger focus," he said.

"All Australians know how strong the All Blacks are. Therefore, every win we get against them - and over history there haven't been as many as they have got against us - is savoured."

INSPIRING FAREWELL

Smith, who has been using the haka issue to motivate his players, said the significance of Eales's farewell would help inspire the Australians.

"He's a great player on the world stage and in the history of the game. That's going to create a lot of emotion at the match and we just have to deal with that," Smith said.

Australia have beaten the All Blacks in six of their last clashes including their most recent meeting, in Dunedin three weeks ago, but there is no clear favourite for Saturday's match.

New Zealand beat the world champions 39-35 in the corresponding game last year, and produced their best performance of the season when they overpowered South Africa 26-15 last weekend.

The key to their improvement was the reinstatement of half-backs Byron Kelleher and Andrew Mehrtens, who provided the service to get giant winger Jonah Lomu into the game.

Kelleher said his clash with Wallaby scrumhalf George Gregan would by critical to the outcome of the match, which will be played in front of a sellout crowd of 91 000.

MUTUAL DISLIKE

The pair are fierce rivals and their mutual dislike boiled over when they scuffled during a Super 12 match earlier this year.

"I thrive on opportunities to overcome the other halfback by physically dominating them," Kelleher said. "As long as I can keep on my game and keep on top of Georgie things should roll out and hopefully roll our way.

The All Blacks stuck with the same starting team that beat the Springboks, but recalled try-scoring fullback Christian Cullen to the bench when he proved his fitness after being sidelined all year with a knee injury.

The Wallabies made two changes, recalling lock David Giffin from suspension as well as winger Andrew Walker.

Walker was dropped for the last match after failing to board the team's flight to Perth as he visited his pregnant wife. He was recalled after apologising to management but remains in doubt because of a knee problem.

"We'll give Andrew until Friday to see how his knee shapes up and then we'll make a decision on who will start and who will come off the bench," Wallaby coach Eddie Jones said.

The Wallabies have struggled to produce their best form this season, but can still retain their Tri-Nations title if they win Saturday's winner-takes-all series decider.

The world champions had to come from behind to beat the British and Irish Lions in their three-match series, and have won only one of their three Tri-Nations matches, drawing 14-14 with the Springboks in their most recent encounter. They have, though, always shown a remarkable ability to win the really important matches. - Reuters