South Africa apologises to New Zealand after music, fireworks and plane disrupt haka

New Zealand performs haka in Johannesburg as South Africa looks on — The All Blacks perform the haka in Johannesburg – Shutterstock/Kim Ludbrook

South Africa’s Rugby Union has apologised to New Zealand for disrupting the haka ahead of Saturday’s game between the Springboks and All Blacks, blaming the blunder on a blind sound engineer.

Towards the end of the haka performance at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, music was played over the stadium’s loudspeakers and fireworks were set off. An A380 airliner also flew over the ground before the ritual ended.

The timing of the developments has drawn widespread criticism online, with New Zealand fly-half Damian McKenzie saying he “probably didn’t quite agree with it”.

SARU said it had written to the NZRFU to “formally apologise” for the haka being “obscured” ahead of a convincing match which the hosts won 31-27.

“I have apologised in person and written to the NZRFU to formally express our regret and apologies for what happened,” SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer said.

“It was never intended to schedule activities to coincide with such an iconic moment in a test match against the All Blacks. This was due to timing issues and simple human error.

“In the confusion, the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd were misinterpreted as the end of the haka by a blind sound engineer who restarted the musical programme. This is very regrettable but in no way deliberate.”

Cape Town hosts the second edition of the Rugby Championship double-header this weekend, with Scott Robertson’s All Blacks needing a win to keep alive their slim chances of winning the competition.

A victory would put South Africa on course to win their first title since 2019. In any case, Oberholzer vowed that a repeat of the Johannesburg incidents would not happen.

“We are very committed to the values and traditions of the game,” he added. “These unfortunate events in no way represent a lack of respect on the part of South African rugby for the importance and history of the haka. We will ensure that such mistakes are not repeated.”