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OWEN FARRELL cheekily winked at New Zealand star Aaron Smith as well as smirking throughout the Haka.

England decided to meet the All Blacks' challenge and are facing a 2,500 fine for encroaching onto the wrong half of the field.

 Owen Farrell had a huge smirk as Aaron Smith and the All Blacks performed the Haka
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Owen Farrell had a huge smirk as Aaron Smith and the All Blacks performed the Haka

After the Kiwis' defeat, scrum-half Smith shared some insight into the pre-match ritual and Farrell's antics ahead of the Red Rose's semi-final triumph.

Smith admitted: “I don’t really do it to scare them or anything, we do it for us and to represent our people, represent New Zealand.

"The All Blacks have been doing it for 110 years. It’s about us, I didn’t really notice.

“I was looking at the guy straight opposite me and that was Owen Farrell, he was giving me a few winks so I was trying to scare him as much as I could.”

England face South Africa in Saturday's final, while the All Blacks take on Wales to decide who finishes third on Friday.

World Rugby chiefs will decide today whether to press charges against Eddie Jones’ winners for crossing the halfway line during New Zealand’s Maori war dance.

France were hit with a £2,500 fine after they got too close to the Kiwis before the 2011 World Cup final.

Referee Nigel Owens appeared to order back several players, including Joe Marler and Billy Vunipola, after they stood in New Zealand’s half.

The stunt left England supporters crying with laughter, with Piers Morgan even tweeting: "He knew."

Louise Mensch wrote: "This was actually brilliant, and part of the psychological warfare that the Haka represents.

"#AllBlacks taken aback. Our boys make own visual, V for Victory. Owen Farrell’s confident, amused face. Undermined NZ before the whistle even blew."

Olympic hero Katherine Merry had her say, tweeting: "... but nothing beats Owen Farrell’s face during the haka ..."

And Ben Jeffrey said: "That Farrell smirk was Joker-esque."

 

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