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George says he was behind England's fiery haka response
The Guardian
|November 17, 2025
Henry Pollock's starring role in England's response to the haka was designed by Jamie George, who revealed he took inspiration from the 2019 World Cup semifinal win and admitted they risked poking the bear before clinching a first home win against the All Blacks in 13 years.
George admitted he was the brains behind England's decision to initially line up as usual while the All Blacks performed their traditional war dance before breaking out into a V-shape. As the eldest player in the squad, George was intentionally on one end with Pollock, the youngest, on the other. The captain, Maro Itoje, stood at the point of the V, which, in truth, looked more like a C-shaped formation.
This story is from the November 17, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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