Football great Willie Mason has set the record straight about the controversial moment he was booked for “disrespecting” New Zealand’s Haka during an international match.
The opening match of the 2006 Tri-Nations competition between Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain was filled with controversy.
And it all started before a ball was kicked, with Mason attracting the ire of New Zealand players and fans by insulting the Kiwis during their traditional pre-match war dance.
As the New Zealand team performed the Haka, the camera focused on Mason, who could clearly be seen uttering the words “fuck you” to the Kiwis.
About 24 minutes later, New Zealand enforcer David Kidwell came into his own by removing Mason in a shocking tackle that left him with a swollen, bruised eye and a bloodied face.
But speaking on his Levels podcast with former New Zealand international Justin Horo, Mason said he never cursed the Haka at all, but was actually joking with one of his New Zealand teammates.
“Just tell the Haka that you think I disrespected you, it was me and fucking Brent Webb insulting each other,” he said.
“Because Webby was there and I said, ‘You can’t play for this Australian (team), you can’t get this Australian jersey, guess what, you’re playing for New Zealand.’
‘That’s what was said. You’re not good enough. Because I’m taking the p***. Because he was giving me the p*** when we were singing the anthem, because we are companions.
“It wasn’t rude at all, it wasn’t disrespectful.”
Television footage showed Mason (centre) uttering obscenities at the Kiwis as they performed the Haka in a 2006 match between New Zealand and Australia.
Brent Webb (pictured front left) supposedly gave Mason a sleigh ride while the Australians sang their anthem.
Previously, New Zealand-born Mason said he would never intentionally disrespect the famous dance.
“I was born in New Zealand (and) disrespecting the Haka is quite difficult to do,” he said.
‘There is nothing but respect towards the Haka.
“For Kiddy (Kidwell), I think it probably shaped his entire career,” Mason added.
It’s as if nothing better could have happened to him.
‘I thought, “How could I disrespect the Haka?” I have nothing but love for New Zealand and nothing but love for the Haka and respect.
“It was just taken out of context. I didn’t understand why or how you could disrespect the Haka by just telling another guy to fuck off.
New Zealand striker David Kidwell removed Mason in the same match with a heartbreaking tackle in response to his apparent disrespect towards the Haka.
Mason was left bloodied and bruised, but played the match and revealed that he was not disrespecting the Haka, but was joking with a teammate.
Mason and Horo also spoke about the Samoan war dance, Sipi Tau, which has been used in recent international matches between Samoa and England.
Horo said Samoa crossed a line by taking on the English players and said they should only get this close against nations who also had a war dance.
“I don’t like it when they get upset when the other team isn’t doing the war dance,” he said.
‘Now my New Zealand counterparts could roast me here on my Pacific Island counterparts.
‘Let me clarify, if it’s Tonga versus Samoa, get on each other’s grid. Because you are both going through a war dance.
“But when English players just stand there and have to deal with it like little Mikey Lewis did… I just don’t like it when they create that boundary.”
“I’d say, ‘You better get started,'” Mason added.
‘If you were going to achieve that, you’d better be in the middle and putting people in that first set.
“You can’t roll over there and just go back to the bench and let the big dogs take care of everything.”
It also comes after England rugby star Joe Marler was forced to apologize after sensationally calling for the All Blacks’ Haka to be “dumped” during the week.
Marler had also stated that war dances should only be performed when both nations had the opportunity to perform one.
“It only helps when teams actually address it with some kind of response.” Like the guys in the league did last week,” he posted.
However, his comments outraged English fans and even politicians, forcing him to apologize.
“Hello rugby fans,” he posted on X.
“I just wanted to jump in here and say sorry to the New Zealand fans I upset with my poorly articulated tweet earlier in the week.
“I meant no malice to ask for (the haka) to be scrapped, I just want the restrictions to be lifted to allow a response without sanction.”