TJ Perenara has backed the Hurricanes Poua for their use of the team's haka to express frustration with the Government.
The women's team created controversy when they referred to the "puppets of this redneck government" in the haka they performed prior to their first game of the Super Rugby Aupiki season.
Members of the Chiefs Manawa, including Black Fern Ruby Tui, have since joined in solidarity with the Poua.
The Hurricanes management said the franchise did not condone the wording of the haka but experienced halfback Perenara left reporters today in no doubt about where his loyalties lay.
"I share similar views to our women and what was said," Perenara said. "I back our women, I stand by our women.
"For me, haka is something that us as Māori use to express ourselves, whether that's through celebration… or frustration. We use haka as a vehicle to express ourselves. What better way to express the way you feel than through haka, especially for our Māori people."
Perenara said it was not appropriate for people to pick and choose how haka were performed.
"There are a lot of people who might have spoken on haka and want to see one side of haka… you can't do it for that reason.
"That's not okay to me. We use haka the way we use haka and like I said that's to express ourselves."
The Poua were protesting against what they felt were the coalition government's discriminatory policies towards Māori.
All Black Perenara, 32, last weekend started his first game for the Hurricanes since two surgeries on his Achilles, injured 17 months ago while playing for the national team.
His side's 54-28 victory over the Rebels in Palmerston North took the Hurricanes to a 5-0 start to the season — their best since 2015.
However, that season the Hurricanes lost the final to the Highlanders in Wellington, moving Perenara to say today: "No one really cares unless you win the whole thing."
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