The All Blacks’ pre-match haka draws on a Māori tradition practised for centuries. Joseph Banks and James Cook recorded witnessing it during their 1769 voyage to New Zealand, while its introduction to rugby came in 1884, when a New Zealand side visited Sydney. A touring New Zealand team subsequently performed it against Surrey on 3 October 1888. The team that became known as the All Blacks toured Britain in 1905, performing Ka Mate before internationals against Scotland and Wales.
Composed in 1820 by Māori chief Te Rauparaha, Ka Mate recites a poem concerned with life, death and resilience. Before the 1987 World Cup, Buck Shelford and Hika Reid worked with the squad to improve pronunciation, coordinate movements and explain the haka’s significance. A newer haka, Kapa o Pango, made its debut in August 2005 before an international against South Africa in Dunedin, with captain Tana Umaga leading its extended introduction.
New Zealand is not alone in maintaining a ceremonial pre-match tradition: Fiji performs the Cibi, Samoa the Siva Tau and Tonga the Sipi Tau. Each combines vocal calls with coordinated physical movements. World Rugby regulates the teams’ positions during such challenges. When only one side performs, its opponents cannot cross halfway, while the performers must remain behind their own 10-metre line. Breaches can bring financial penalties: England received a £2,000 fine after advancing beyond halfway during New Zealand’s haka before their 2019 World Cup semi-final. England nevertheless won the match 19–7.
