Little Paul Sheehan throws his toys over the Wallabies exit

So Paul Sheehan from the Sydney Morning Herald thinks we should see the back of the haka, especially looking at the ‘throat slitting action.

Well let’s look at the technical side of things first. In Maori culture that action means to draw of the breath of life into the heart and lungs…but to be honest I don’t care about that. I could care less if it meant, “I’m going into battle against you and you can expect to have your head removed (metaphorically) by the end of this game!” I’d be fine with that…has anyone ever watched a game of rugby, it’s a violent, vicious, confrontational battle. Off with their heads I say!

Paul Sheehan has done the classic ‘sore loser’ thing where he has come out and lambasted the haka as intolerable and unacceptable…neither of which he would have stated publicly is Australia had of won in the weekend, or if we were playing them in the final this weekend. Paul Sheehan is a bad sport.

Sheehan states of Kapa O Pango, “"If some of the All Blacks persist in ending this latest version of the haka with a throat-slitting motion, they will be using a very big stage to remind people the Maoris once engaged in unspeakable conduct, which we don't discuss any more.” So I can only assume, if Mr. Sheehan is a man of consistency, that he would also support removing Advance Australia Fair from the start of Australian games, as it also celebrates ‘unspeakable conduct’ committed by settlers to Australia on the indigenous people…you remember the stories, the lost generation, the advertisements in the papers in the late 1800’s looking for volunteers to go and hunt the natives out of existence.

Here is a version of Advance Australia Fair that some Australians adhere to.

Advance Australia – Unfair

Australians all should be ashamed

For we are not all free

They killed the blacks and stole the land

And lock up refugees

The land is raped by profiteers

The Murray­River died

History’s page

Denies the rage

Because historians lied. 

In prison cells how can we sing 

Advance Australia fair? 

...from Breaking Free – loosening the shackles of colonialism: the road ahead (2007)

Now this may only be the view of some….but equally Mr. Sheehan’s view is only that of ‘some’.

Paul Sheehan goes on to talk about how the RWC is not really that important to Australians, or the world stating, “Thankfully Australia's hopes and passions are spread across multiple sports. We have already moved on from the World Cup. New Zealand must live and die with its All Blacks.” Really? Moved on? That’s not what twitter is saying of your Wallabies

James Horwill "Feel truly gutted. Hard to find words to describe the feeling. The AB's were too good and deserved to win. Good luck to the AB's next week"

James O’Connor "Speechless, cld be worst feeling ever. absolutely gutted! Ab's jst too gd tonight-played gr8 rugby n deserved the win"

Quade Cooper "They say everything happens for a reason. So we are ready for everything you can possibly throw at us now. You can't make us feel any worse"

Seems to sting those that were on the field a little more than Mr. Sheehan is saying. Most Australians handled themselves with decorum and grace over the Wallaby loss, Paul Sheehan is not amongst that group.

And onto the point that Australians have plenty of sports to support right now…again…really? Sure lots of sports are played in Australia, but you have to be honest…currently on a world stage…there ‘aint that much to crow about.

England ranked number one in test cricket (Australia number 4), Kiwis World Champions in Rugby League, All Whites vastly out performed Soceroos at recent Football World Cup, All Blacks (said confidently) about to be World Champions at Rugby…so really what is there to support?

Paul Sheehan has done the classic ‘little boy’ thing of tossing his toys, picking up his bat and ball, and walking home. Except this time the world doesn’t need his bat and ball…in fact we got rid of his last weekend and we can use out own…onto another World Championship.