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Regional | Auckland Blues

Sam Nock says it is 'wicked' to lead the Blues haka

Credit / Sky Sports

The Blues thrashed the Chiefs 25-0 this weekend and Te Ao Toa presenter and Kiwis legend Adam Blair reckons it's because they now have a haka.

He spoke to Blues halfback Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi) who says it was "wicked" to lead the haka against Moana Pasifika last Saturday.

"Ever since I was a little kid I've loved hakas and to be able to lead it for the boys was mean," Nock says.

"Our Blues haka is just about representing the past, a bit of our values, what we live by, just our tikanga. It represents the four tides of this area, it's a big region."

Some of the Blues players were quite anxious about performing the haka so Nock says he got the Māori players to lead from the front.

"They were scared as, I've never seen the boys so nervous. Our walk-through wasn't rugby, it was just haka practice.

"I just got all the Māori brethren at the front and I said 'you boys, just fall in behind' and everybody just huddled to the back."

Nock says it was a special occasion to host a first-ever Pacific super rugby side at the home of the Blues.

"We wanted to do the haka just to welcome Moana Pasifika, firstly to Eden Park and to the competition. It's a mutual respect towards them. We just wanted to respect that and welcome them properly."

Nock was hoping the Pasifika team would respond with a haka of their own, because he was all set to haka back if they did.

"I was surprised they didn't do one. I thought someone was going to jump up and surprise us with a haka. I was ready for another haka anyway."