Barrett says Marler's haka jibe has 'loaded the gun'

Autumn Nations Series: England v New Zealand

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, 2 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

Coverage: Listen to unrecorded commentary connected BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, and travel unrecorded substance commentary connected the BBC Sport website and app.

New Zealand skipper Scott Barrett says England prop Joe Marler has "loaded the gun" aft his arguable telephone for the All Blacks haka to beryllium scrapped.

Marler, 34, has since apologised for calling the iconic pre-match ritual "ridiculous" and saying it should beryllium "binned" successful a station connected X connected Tuesday.

The Harlequins seasoned volition miss England's autumn opener astatine Allianz Stadium connected Saturday for idiosyncratic reasons, but All Blacks 2nd enactment Barrett said the harm had been done.

"He has astir apt loaded the weapon hasn't he?" helium admitted connected Friday successful effect to the row.

"I conjecture determination are ever opinions astir the haka and its place. It's hugely important to america and has been to the All Blacks for a agelong clip - we get a batch from it.

"It's been a immense portion of the All Blacks. It's bigger than rugby successful a sense. You talk to radical from America and lesser-known rugby nations and they cognize rugby successful New Zealand for the haka, truthful it is immense for america and unites us."

England are readying a respectful effect to the haka successful Saturday's encounter, but Barrett said his broadside "do not request immoderate other motivation".

"In those moments, immoderate the squad brings and you extremity up facing, you emotion it," added the 30-year-old.

"If they locomotion guardant it means they are up for the archetypal whistle. If that happens, we cognize we are successful for a bully Test match.

"We don't request immoderate other information heading to Twickenham against a squad that would desperately emotion to bushed us, truthful we person got to respect what is coming."

England prop Ellis Genge, meanwhile, said helium "loves" the haka, which inactive has its spot successful Test rugby.

"I'm connected committee with it, I emotion the haka," said the 29-year-old.

"We'll chat astir it aboriginal on, we've got a gathering and we'll spot what the craic is.

"We're not going to commencement climbing connected each other's shoulders, but we'll beryllium determination respectfully and ticker it.

"I've lone faced it erstwhile [in 2022]. It's monolithic successful the past of the game. Most radical who aren't needfully excessively funny successful rugby inactive cognize what the haka is.

"I cognize immoderate radical are divided connected it but I rather similar it. It's spot of a challenge. I'm a large instrumentality of it and I don't deliberation we should get escaped of it.

"You should beryllium capable to respond, but everyone is respectful erstwhile they bash that."

England person not beaten New Zealand astatine location since their grounds 38-21 triumph successful 2012.

Bristol prop Genge said the ambiance astatine Allianz Stadium - formerly known arsenic Twickenham - volition beryllium important if England are to execute success.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Genge added: "I privation the assemblage connected their feet.

"If the stands are shaking, that would beryllium brilliant. But you person to springiness to get back, truthful hopefully we springiness them thing to cheer about.

"This is the apical of the stage, you privation to triumph each crippled you play in.

"We are successful a presumption with the endowment we person to perpetrate to it and spot wherever we get.

"The 4th fourth volition beryllium massive. It’s erstwhile 80% of Test matches are won oregon mislaid and hopefully that is erstwhile the assemblage volition beryllium loudest."

England: Furbank; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Lawrence, Freeman; M Smith, Spencer; Genge, George (capt), Stuart; Itoje, Martin; Cunningham-South, T Curry, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, B Curry, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford.

New Zealand: Jordan; Tele'a, Ioane, J Barrett, Clarke; B Barrett, Ratima; Williams, Taylor, Lomax, S Barrett (capt), Vaa'i, Sititi, Cane, Savea.

Replacements: Aumua, Tu'ungafasi, Tosi, Tuipulotu, Finau, Roigard, Lienart-Brown, McKenzie

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)

Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France) & Jordan Way (Australia)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)