Haka handbags at noon in Seven TV promo

Seven Network kicked off a cheeky new rugby union promotion ahead of Australia's opening Bledisloe Cup clash against the New Zealand All Blacks, poking fun at a recent incident which sparked headlines globally.

In May, former New Zealand captain Tana Umaga broke up a nightclub clash involving teammate Chris Masoe by hitting him over the head with a woman's handbag. Masoe was allegedly reduced to tears after the smack, and was later fined by the New Zealand Rugby Union for his part in the fracas. The handbag fetched more than US$10,000 at an online auction, and made the side the butt of jokes worldwide.

Conceived and created inhouse, the spot opens with the All Blacks performing a fierce rendition of their famous pre-match Maori war dance, the haka, with the Seven Network superimposing handbags over their shoulders.

"While there is a healthy respect for (the All Blacks), there is a level of enthusiasm to poke some fun at them," said Tim Worner, head of programming and production, Seven Network. "With the All Blacks, we've done a lot of things which involve sheep, and we thought we'd give them a bit of a rest.

"Our sincerest wish is that they get so fired up that it puts them off their game - then we might have a chance."
Australia lost the encounter at Media's press time, but according to Worner, the Seven Network is currently in the midst of producing a second version of the commercial, which will air in the lead-up to the return match in Australia.