South Africa Rugby Union Issues Apology to New Zealand Over Haka Disruption in Johannesburg

The South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) has issued an apology to New Zealand Rugby following an unfortunate disruption to the traditional haka during the closing moments before the Rugby Championship match at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has been described as "highly regrettable" by SARU, who emphasized that the disruption was unintentional.

Traditionally, the haka—a powerful Maori war dance performed by the New Zealand All Blacks before matches—is met with silence and respect from the opposition and the crowd. However, during the match in Johannesburg, the latter stages of the haka were marred by the premature start of music, a fireworks display, and a flyover by an A380 aircraft. According to Rian Oberholzer, the chief executive of SA Rugby, the disruption was caused by "timekeeping challenges" and "simple human error."

In a statement, Oberholzer expressed deep regret over the incident. "I apologised in person and have written to the NZRFU to formally express our regret and apologies for what occurred," he said. "It was never the intention to schedule any activities that would coincide with such an iconic moment of any Test match against the All Blacks."

Oberholzer further explained that the confusion arose when the crowd's cheering was mistakenly interpreted by a sound engineer, who was unable to see the haka, as the conclusion of the performance. This led to the early restart of the music program, interrupting the sacred tradition.

"It was highly regrettable but in no way deliberate," Oberholzer reiterated, emphasizing that the disruption was a result of miscommunication rather than any intentional disrespect.

Despite the incident, the match itself was a thrilling encounter, with South Africa securing a dramatic 31-27 comeback victory over New Zealand. Grant Williams' late try capped off the Springboks' third win in the Rugby Championship, maintaining their perfect record in the tournament.

As both teams prepare to face each other again at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, SARU’s apology aims to ensure that such an oversight does not recur, preserving the respect and tradition that the haka commands on the global rugby stage.