All Blacks v South Africa: Ellis Park haka response under scrutiny

The All Blacks performing the haka ahead of the Rugby Championship match against South Africa at Ellis Park. Photo / Getty Images

By Jamie Wall of RNZ

The All Blacks are no strangers to having opposition teams and crowds respond to the haka. But it was taken to new heights over the weekend at Johannesburg’s famous Ellis Park, when the rendition of Kapa O Pango was met with not only the usual thunderous chants from the 62,000-strong crowd, but also music, pyrotechnics and a flyover from an Emirates Airlines A380 jet.

While it’s a stretch to suggest it had any effect on the resulting 31-27 Springboks victory, there is a question over whether what transpired was respectful. As the All Blacks rose to perform the crescendo to the haka, the airliner made its dramatic entrance into the airspace above the stadium, triggering the fireworks and music.

All Blacks first five Damian McKenzie wasn’t a fan, saying he “didn’t agree with it all that much”.

“I don’t know when the plane was supposed to fly over. It’s an opportunity for us to connect with back home... we knew the noise was going to be there but it’s out of my control,” he said.

Coach Scott Robertson, himself a former All Black, said that the haka was “a pretty iconic tradition in our game”.

An Emirates Airlines A380 jumbo jet flew over the ground during the haka in Sunday's test at Ellis Park. Photo / Photosport

“Everyone has their own way of receiving it. We’re prepared for that [the response], it’s not the first time, so they try and take away our advantage they believe we have from the haka. I think it adds to the theatre of it. It’s not going to change, so just embrace it.”

The sudden arrival of the airliner over the stadium did admittedly make for a stunning collision of events in an already supercharged atmosphere.

The tradition of flyovers of Ellis Park famously began before the iconic final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when an SA Airways 747 made two very low passes.

Generally, the All Blacks have been ambivalent or even supportive of teams or crowds responding to the haka. England’s v-shaped formation before the World Cup semifinal in 2019 is regarded as the most successful as it preceded a very dominant 19-7 victory, and the haka is met with renditions of Swing Low whenever it is performed at Twickenham.

For their part, the Springboks team stood impassively watching on as the All Blacks performed the haka and saved their moment of controversy for the game itself. The two teams meet again in the second test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town this Sunday morning NZT.

- RNZ