A petition has been created to get three Porirua College school girls whose rendition of the New Zealand national anthem went viral to perform at the next All Blacks test. Photo / Getty
A petition has been created to get three Porirua College school girls whose rendition of the New Zealand national anthem went viral to perform at the next All Blacks test. Photo / Getty
A petition has been created to get three Porirua College school girls whose rendition of the New Zealand national anthem went viral to perform at the next All Blacks test.
Tiresa Foma'i, Rosetta Lopa and Anastasia Sirila posted a video of their rendition after US signer Crystal Collins butchered God Defend New Zealand during the Kiwis league test against England in Denver more than a week ago.
The girls' video has been viewed more than 895,000 times and received 14,850 shares alone from Facebook.
Three Porirua College students have produced a stunning rendition of the New Zealand national anthem. Photo / Le Art / Facebook
"Hi!!! Its been a while but we're working on originals so bear with us. With our anthem being in the news recently we'd like everyone to know we're available!!!" they wrote.
Now their calls have been heard, at least by one fan who has started a petition to get NZ Rugby to let the girls perform at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on September 15 when the All Blacks play South Africa.
Campaign leader Ross Bell said that this was an opportunity for the public to decide who represents us and our anthem on the sporting global stage.
A petition has been created to get three Porirua College school girls whose rendition of the New Zealand national anthem went viral to perform at the next All Blacks test. Photo / Getty
"Tiresa, Rosetta and Anastasia are young people from Porirua who will be able to represent us all on the national stage at one of the biggest sporting events this year. They can show the strength, diversity and real-ness of our young people," he wrote.
"Who usually gets to decide who represents us? Just imagine, this could become one of 'those' stories that captures the public mood. Where we're able, through our signatures, infiltrate the height of a professional sporting event [and all the pageantry that goes with an All Blacks test match] with raw, talented and classy people like these three young singers."
Bell wrote that his attempt to promote the girls on the big stage was not a dig at those who perform the anthem at New Zealand sporting events, but rather a chance for Kiwis to be involved in the decision making of who represents us.
"This isn't to dis the professional singers that New Zealand Rugby usually use at test matches.
"It's a chance for NZ Rugby to show its community-minded side, and to give an opportunity for these young, talented school students from Porirua to shine on a global stage - a real authentic voice of young New Zealand."
So far more than 1100 people have signed the petition, with Bell aiming for at least 2000 signatures before presenting it to New Zealand Rugby.
The girls' performance has been praised not only by Kiwis, but by many around the world.
One person who signed the petition said the idea should "challenge our NZ rugby head mentality. Let these girls show some of NZ's other talent. They'll make the game seem boring by comparison".
Another wrote: "I'm from England and I've heard the NZ anthem a few times. This one, and I genuinely mean this tops it. Sung with passion as all anthems should. You should be very proud of that rendition as I'm proud of you."
"Should have got these girls to go sing the anthem for the Kiwis v England game."
Collins, the singer of what some have called the worst version of the New Zealand national anthem spoke to Radio Sport to apologise for her performance before nailing the Māori version live on air in a second attempt.
Crystal Collins butchered the national anthem prior to the league international between New Zealand and England. Photo / One News
Collins told Radio Sport she felt "horrible" about the performance.
"I would like to apologise to you and the citizens of New Zealand."
She had sung the England anthem God Save the Queen a cappella, and when the New Zealand anthem came on with a backing track, she could not hear the monitor.
"I didn't have a chance to hear what the monitor would be like before the New Zealand anthem started. I could hear nothing at all."
The Radio Sport hosts then asked her if she would like to redeem herself.
She accepted, and belted out the version in Māori.
"I am so sorry it did not come out like that on Saturday," she said.
