All Black calls into question Bok fans behaviour and stunt during haka

All Black flyhalf Damian McKenzie said he disagrees with the Ellis Park crowd’s behaviour during their performance of the traditional pre-match haka and the decision to do an aeroplane flyover simultaneously.

McKenzie was also loudly booed every time he lined up a kick at goal.

Replacements Kwagga Smith and Grant Williams scored late tries as South Africa came back from a 10-point (17-27) deficit, to record a dramatic victory over New Zealand in a Rugby Championship thriller in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The result put the Boks in a prime position in the tournament, if first place – eight points clear of the All Blacks.

All Black flyhalf Damian McKenzie speaks about the ‘disrespectful’ behaviour of the crowd during the haka and the untimely flyover

All Black flyhalf Damian McKenzie speaks about the ‘disrespectful’ behaviour of the crowd during the haka and the untimely flyover

However, the pre-match build-up was shrouded in controversy by an aeroplane flyover during the performance of the haka.

The home crowd’s loud chanting also ruffled a few Kiwi feathers, as it drowned out the haka.

“It is the first time I have played here in Johannesburg,” McKenzie told a post-match media briefing.

Rugby Championship

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

South Africa

3

3

0

0

14

2

New Zealand

3

1

2

0

6

3

Argentina

3

1

2

0

5

4

Australia

3

1

2

0

4

“I was told it was [going to be] pretty loud.

“You can understand the roars of the crowd, and the music is a little … yeah.

“I probably don’t agree with it as much.”

He said he wasn’t sure if the timing of the flyover was meant to occur at the same time as the haka’s performance.

“It is an opportunity for us to connect with our [people] back home and our ancestors,” he said of the reason for the traditional pre-match war cry.

“We knew the noise was going to be there, but it is out of my control.”

The 29-year-old No.10 described the mood in the All Black camp as “pretty disappointing” after a match they could so easily have won.

“Late in the [second] half we put ourselves under pressure with our [lack of] discipline,” he said about the late Bok rally – the hosts coming from 10 points down in the wake of an Ofa Tu’ungafasi yellow card.

With the All Blacks struggling late in games – having gone scoreless in the last quarter four games on successions – McKenzie said accuracy is the key to breaking that late-maTCH drought.

“It’s those 50-50 ones [calls] you want to have a crack, but shouldn’t,” he told a post-match media scrums.

“It’s about pushing the boundaries too far.

“Against this South African team, they have great kickers that put the ball in the corner and their set pieces were good.”

With the Freedom Cup – in All Black hands since 2010 – up for grabs, McKenzie said they know what is required of them in Cape Town next Saturday.

“For the majority of the game we were in control and then we just took our foot off the pedal a bit,” the No.10 added.

“We know what is on the line next weekend.”