All Blacks blindside Liam Messam is becoming quite the cult figure when leading the Haka, and the emotional effort he puts into the displays were obvious when he tried to take on over 80,000 passionate English.

The World Champions unleashed Kapa O Pango on the home of English rugby, which was met with a loud response from the London crowd.

Messam admitted that the efforts came close to stopping him, with the Chiefs flank pausing ever so slightly in the early stages of the Haka.

This was because he was trying to drown out the crowd, a valiant but fruitless battle.

"I lost my breath and was about to faint," Messam said to the NZ Herald.

"I was trying to drown out the fans and just had to regroup and regather myself before I fell over."

Messam warned Dan Carter beforehand he would come down hard on the master first five-eighth, although at one point it looked as if he was going to rip the shift of his close mate's back.

With 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' in full swing, Messam said the team expected the crowd to respond.

"We had the same problem in Jo'burg," the number six said.

"The haka for us is all about us connecting with each other and getting ready. When you hear a crowd roaring, it just sort of lifts you as well.

"It was awesome to be a part of it."

Messam said that his act towards Carter was acknowledgement of his 100th Test.

"It was me paying my respects to a great man who was about to play his 100th test for the All Blacks," he said.

"I warned him before the game that I was going to slap him!"