England have been fined for the Haka formation they adopted before their epic Rugby World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand.
Owen Farrell's team lined up in a V-shape, encroaching over the halfway line as the All Blacks performed their Maori wardance.
The stunt has cost them a fine, believed to be £2,000, which is £500 less than France were ordered to pay for the same offence before their World Cup final against the Kiwis EIGHT years ago.
World Rugby said England's positioning was a “breach of tournament rules relating to cultural challenges, which states that no players from the team receiving the challenge may advance beyond the halfway line".
However, the official Twitter channel for Rugby World Cup Limited posted the Haka clip online highlighting "@EnglandRugby's incredible response to an intense @AllBlacks Haka". It has been liked 29,000 times.
England will presumably consider it money well spent given the tone it set and the adrenaline it pumped through their veins. Within two minutes of kick-off Manu Tuilagi had scored a try, after which they did not look back.
Prop Mako Vunipola revealed that head coach Eddie Jones "gave us the idea" and said: “We wanted to make sure they understood we would be ready for the fight.
“We knew it would rile them up, it probably felt like we disrespected them. We meant no offence by it, we just wanted to let them know that we were ready for the challenge ahead.”
Referee Nigel Owens had to warn Joe Marler to move back in order that the men in black could perform the famous Maori war-dance. Aaron Smith claimed Farrell repeatedly winked at him.
