South Africa Issues Apology for Haka Incident

South African Rugby Union has apologized to New Zealand for a “highly regrettable” incident that occurred during the haka before their Rugby Championship match on Saturday in Johannesburg. Traditionally, the opposition remains silent to respect New Zealand’s haka. However, at Emirates Airline Park, music, fireworks and an A380 flyover disrupted the haka’s final moments due to “timekeeping challenges” and “simple human error,” according to SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.

Oberholzer has personally apologized and formally expressed regret to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU). He clarified that they never intended to interfere with such a significant tradition. The confusion happened when an unsighted sound engineer mistook the crowd’s cheers, believing the haka had ended and mistakenly restarted the music program. Oberholzer emphasized that the incident occurred accidentally and was not deliberate.

In the match, South Africa staged a dramatic 31-27 comeback victory with Grant Williams scoring a late try to secure the win. This victory marked South Africa’s third consecutive win in the Rugby Championship, highlighting their strong performance in the tournament. The teams will face off again on Saturday at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, promising another thrilling encounter.

The apology highlights the importance of respecting traditional rituals and ensuring that such disruptions do not occur in future high-profile events. The Rugby Championship continues to deliver intense competition and high stakes for the teams involved in this prestigious tournament.