Stafford McDowall explains Scotland Haka stance ahead of tour opener

Respect will be the watchword for Stafford McDowall when he leads Scotland into battle in their tour opener against the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei in the early hours of Saturday morning, UK time.

The Glasgow Warriors centre is looking forward to facing the Haka and is braced for a souped up version against opponents with a fierce sense of identity.

The traditional Māori pre-match challenge has been around since 1888 but former England prop Joe Marler reignited an old debate last autumn when he wrote on social media ahead of England’s game against New Zealand that it was “ridiculous” and should be “binned.”

Scotland captain Stafford McDowall at the Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei ahead of Saturday's match against the Māori All Blacks. | SNS/Scottish Rugby

England captain Jamie George duly led his team up to the halfway line to face up to the All Blacks in a show of defiance as they faced the Haka. New Zealand had the last laugh, winning 24-22 at Twickenham, and McDowall has no plans to follow suit at Semenoff Stadium. He has taken counsel from Fergus Burke, the New Zealand-born Saracens stand-off who is set to make his first Scotland appearance after being named on the bench.

“I'm really excited for it,” said McDowall, who is captaining Scotland for the second time. “It's something I've obviously watched a lot with the All Blacks growing up. I used to watch rugby in the living room with my dad.

“The last time I would have faced a Haka would have been in my under-20s days when we played New Zealand in the World Cup. I remember it being an unbelievable experience then.

It’s got a lot of heart in it and a lot of meaning as well

“I think Fergus Burke's been telling a few of the boys this week that this is going to be a different prospect than the one we're facing on Saturday. It's going to be a proper Haka we're facing that's got a lot of heart in it and a lot of meaning for them as well. I think a lot of the boys are really excited about it.”

This may be a non-cap match but McDowall is braced for a searching test of Scotland’s credentials and he will not be adding any fuel to the Māori’s fire by provoking them pre-match.

“I had a little chat with Fergus and he was like, ‘we're just going to respect it and just let it be what it is and really enjoy the moment and let them do the Haka at home’. I know we've not got any plans or anything we're going to do up against it. It might be disappointing for anyone if they're expecting us to march it down but I don't think it's going to happen.”

McDowall, 27, skippered Scotland in the home autumn Test against Portugal and the match in Whangārei will be another landmark occasion for the player who has been a model of consistency over the last three seasons with Glasgow and Scotland.

Stafford McDowall during a training run at Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei. | SNS/Scottish Rugby

“Captaining Scotland at Murrayfield was an unbelievable experience for me,” he said. “Probably still up there as the best [moment], to captain your country at our home stadium, but this is a very close second, if not just about matching it.

“We all know what rugby means to people in New Zealand. Even just walking about Whangārei this week: i's a small place but everywhere you go people are coming up to you and asking you about rugby and boys in the town are getting asked for photos and stuff like that - which is something that doesn't usually happen in Scotland.

“We all know what rugby means to the people here and to get the chance to lead out a Scotland team that hasn't been here since 2000 is a really special experience and something I'll cherish forever.”

Expect physicality, expect passion

McDowall, with 13 caps, is one of the more experienced players in a largely experimental Scotland XV which features 10 players with caps in single figures and one uncapped player, the Glasgow tighthead prop Fin Richardson. Gregor Townsend is keeping his big guns in reserve for the Test matches to come against Fiji and Samoa but this could prove an equally difficult challenge against opponents who beat Japan 53-20 in Tokyo last weekend.

Asked what he expected from the Māori, McDowall, unsurprisingly, said: “A lot of physicality and a lot of passion, especially for them playing at home. Obviously they played over in Japan last week, but I think for them to come and play a game at home in a place like Whangārei is going to be a special moment for them as well.

“We've been told the stadium is sold out. They will bring a lot of high tempo, high skill rugby, but then a lot of physicality and a lot of passion as well.”

Scotland look particularly callow up front. The front-row of Nathan McBeth, Paddy Harrison and Richardson have five caps between them and Cam Henderson and Marshall Sykes in the second row have three. There are two uncapped players on the bench in Montpellier back-rower Alexander Masibaka and Burke but Scotland can at least call on 45-cap replacement hooker George Turner, who returns to the fray after more than a year of international exile in Japan. Starting halfbacks George Horne and Adam Hastings also bring plenty Test match experience.

Adam Hastings practises his kicking at Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei. | SNS/Scottish Rugby

Cole Forbes, the former Glasgow Warriors player and one-time Scotland squad member, is part of the Māori squad and McDowall admitted it would feel a little strange to play against his former team-mate.

“It'll be weird facing up opposite him, obviously I'm good mates with him, so it'll be a really cool experience. Obviously, with the Haka and everything that comes with that as well, getting to be on the other side from Cole will be funny and an unbelievable experience. I'm sure we'll put the friendships aside for 80 minutes and then we'll have a beer together afterwards.”

The match kicks off at 4.35am UK time and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Scotland team

(v Māori All Blacks, Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei, Saturday, 4.35am UK time)

Scotland: Ollie Smith; Harry Paterson, Rory Hutchinson, Stafford McDowall (capt), Arron Reed; Adam Hastings, George Horne (vice-capt); Nathan McBeth, Patrick Harrison, Fin Richardson, Marshall Sykes, Cameron Henderson, Josh Bayliss (vice-capt), Andy Onyeama-Christie, Ben Muncaster. Replacements: George Turner, Alec Hepburn, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Gregor Brown, Alexander Masibaka, Fergus Burke, Jamie Dobie.