Kapa o Pango

Kapa o Pango is a pre-match haka, or challenge, composed by Derek Lardelli, which is unique to the New Zealand national rugby union team, the All Blacks. Since 2005, the "Kapa o Pango" haka has been performed a total of 91 times before rugby test matches by the All Blacks as an alternative to the usual "Ka Mate" haka. "Kapa o Pango" is a Māori phrase which translates to "Team in Black" in English.[1]

In all the eleven tests against an international rugby team "Kapa o Pango" has been performed for the first time the All Blacks have gone on to win the match. Only five sides have ever beaten the All Blacks in a match in which "Kapa o Pango" occurred they are South Africa (2006), Australia (2007), England (2012), Ireland (2016) and France (2023), the year in brackets is the first time a loss occurred against this team with this version of the haka.

When "Kapa o Pango" has been performed the All Blacks have won 71 tests, lost 17 tests and have drawn three times. A team that has "Kapa o Pango" employed against it should respect it as it shows they are worthy adversaries of the All Blacks in the game of rugby union.

The biggest winning margin to the All Blacks for a test involving the "Kapa o Pango" haka was 57 points and occurred on 16 September 2017 against South Africa at North Harbour Stadium Albany, Auckland, New Zealand where the score was 57-0.[2] (This is also the record for the biggest defeat South Africa have had)

The biggest losing margin involving the All Blacks for a test with the "Kapa o Pango" haka is 28 points which occurred in a test against South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on 25 August 2023, final score 35-7.[3](also the All Blacks biggest defeat)

The longest sequence of "Kapa o Pango" performances is seven, which occurred during 2023. In every Rugby World Cup knockout match since 2011 (and including) the version of the haka performed has been "Kapa o Pango".

Ten players have led "Kapa o Pango" with eight being of Māori descent and two of Samoan descent. [4][5]

The All Blacks performing "Kapa o Pango" in 2011

History

2005–2009

In August 2005, before the Tri-Nations test match between New Zealand and South Africa at Carisbrook stadium in Dunedin, the All Blacks performed a new haka, "Kapa o Pango", specially composed by Derek Lardelli and "...designed to reflect the multi-cultural make-up of contemporary New Zealand – in particular the influence of Polynesian cultures".[6] This new haka was to be reserved for special occasions and was not intended to replace "Ka Mate".[6]

John Smit, the Springbok captain who faced the debut performance of "Kapa o Pango", said after the match: "To stand there and watch it for the first time was a privilege."[6] The Daily Telegraph columnist Mick Cleary criticised the new haka as "unmistakably provocative", adding: "There is a fine line and the All Blacks crossed it. Carisbrook is a rugby field not a back-street alley."[7]

England became the second team to face "Kapa o Pango" when it was performed before a test match at Twickenham on 19 November 2005. The All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango" on 8 July 2006 in Christchurch against Australia, making the Wallabies the third team to face this version of the haka. The first time the All Blacks went on to lost a match after performing "Kapa o Pango" was on 2 September 2006 in a game against South Africa in Newlands, Cape Town, which the Springboks won 22–16.

France's head coach Bernard Laporte requested New Zealand not to perform "Kapa o Pango" during their November 2006 tour of France, claiming "It's no good for the promotion of our sport."[8] Despite this complaint, the following year in Auckland on 2 June 2007, France faced "Kapa o Pango" for the first time and became the fourth rugby side to do so.

At the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks did not perform "Kapa o Pango" before their quarter-final against France. This remains the only world cup knockout stage match to not feature the new haka since its inception. The only time "Kapa o Pango" was performed at the 2007 tournament was in a pool match against Scotland on 23 September 2007, making the Scottish national team the fifth to face "Kapa o Pango" before a match for the first time.

"Kapa o Pango" was performed for the first time against Ireland in Dublin on 15 November 2008, making them the sixth side to witness this version of the pre-match haka. One week later, Wales became the seventh side to experience "Kapa o Pango" for the first time when it was performed before a test match at Millennium Stadium. The Welsh players stood stationary and stared down the All Blacks during and after the haka, with the New Zealand team eventually losing the stare off but winning the match.[9]

2010–2019

On 24 September 2011, the All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango" before their Pool A match against France at Eden Park, which included the act of drawing the thumb across the throat at the end. At the knockout stage of the previous World Cup, the French team had eliminated New Zealand in the quarter-finals. The new haka became a fixture during the 2011 World Cup knockout stage, before the All Blacks met France again (and defeated them) in the final. Argentina were the eighth national team to witness their first "Kapa o Pango" when the All Blacks performed it before the World Cup quarter-final in Auckland on 9 October 2011.

The All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango" eight times during 2014, the highest number of performances in any one year since its inception. Also in 2014, there occurred the longest streak of four consecutive "Kapa o Pango" performances. At the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks performed the new haka before all of their knockout round matches; however, following their victory in the final against Australia, an additional "Ka Mate" haka was performed post match.[10]

As a mark of respect for Anthony Foley, the Ireland team formed a 'Figure 8' response when they faced the "Kapa o Pango" on 5 November 2016 at Soldier Field stadium in Chicago. The Irish team went on to win the match.[11] When the British & Irish Lions toured New Zealand in 2017, the All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango" ahead of the first and third tests, making the Lions the ninth side to face the new haka.

For the 2019 Rugby World Cup, "Kapa o Pango" was used against South Africa in the pool stages and Ireland in the quarter-finals, as well as Wales in the bronze play-off match. When performed against Ireland, the sounds of the haka were drowned out by Irish fans singing the song The Fields of Athenry.[12] In New Zealand's semi-final match against England at the World Cup, the English players stood in a 'V' formation when the All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango". England won the match but were later fined for crossing the halfway line.[13]

2020–2023

In a test against Argentina on 28 November 2020, the All Blacks presented a shirt before the "Kapa o Pango" haka in honour of Diego Maradona who had just passed away.[14]

In 2022, "Kapa o Pango" was only performed once which is the least in a season since inception (the game was against South Africa on 6 August 2022 in Nelspruit).[15]

In the test against Australia at the MCG on 29 July 2023 the captain of Australia Allan Ala'alatoa presented a boomerang before the "Kapa o Pango" haka.[16] Australia wore their first nations jerseys for the match. After the haka the captain for the All Blacks Ardie Savea accepted the gift and picked it up.

In a rare non match "Kapa o Pango" haka the All Blacks performed one at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery in honour of the fallen New Zealand soldiers there before the start of the Rugby World Cup 2023.[17] They also placed a jersey in honour of a fallen All Black Stanley Black.

On 15 September 2023 in a pool match of the Rugby World Cup 2023 the All Blacks performed "Kapa o Pango" versus Namibia which was the first so called tier 2 nation to witness it. In doing so Namibia became the tenth side to see it, New Zealand won the match 71-3.[18]

On the 5 October 2023 in a pool match of the Rugby World Cup 2023 the All Blacks again performed "Kapa o Pango" against Uruguay. This made them eleventh side to face it however Uruguay is unique in that they are the only team to not have Ka Mate performed before any match.

Players who have led performances

For each New Zealand test match, one All Blacks player is assigned to lead the haka, kaea in Māori.[19] Although the leader is often of Māori descent, this is not compulsory as two players, Keven Mealamu & Tana Umaga have Polynesian heritage.

Piri Weepu leading "Kapa o Pango" in 2011

Since the introduction of "Kapa o Pango" in 2005, the following ten players have led the performance a total of 91 times:

Numbers in brackets indicate how many times each player has led the "Kapa o Pango" haka. (correct as of 22 October 2023)

Teams who have faced Kapa o Pango

Three sides Argentina, Wales and the British and Irish Lions are yet to beat the All Blacks in a "Kapa o Pango" test match while three sides Scotland, Namibia and Uruguay are yet to beat them in any of the test matches they have played. Uruguay are unique in that they are the only team to have faced "Kapa o Pango" and never Ka Mate.

In total eleven international rugby sides have faced "Kapa o Pango" before a test match:

Numbers in brackets indicate how many times each team has faced "Kapa o Pango" as well as wins and draws for the opposition team.

Controversy

"Kapa o Pango" concludes with a gesture which, according to Lardelli, represents "drawing vital energy into the heart and lungs".[22] The gesture has been interpreted as a "throat slitting" gesture that has led to accusations that "Kapa o Pango" encourages violence and sends the wrong message to All Blacks fans.[23]

The All Blacks opted not to perform "Kapa o Pango" in their opening test of 2006 against Ireland. It was requested that they perform their usual "Ka Mate" haka while a review was conducted into "Kapa o Pango".[24] The action at the end of "Kapa o Pango" had drawn many complaints in the lead-up to the Irish test, with members of the public complaining about it to the NZRU. The NZRU said that it was not because of public pressure that it was not performed against Ireland.

In the run-up to the first All Blacks Test of the 2006 Tri Nations at Jade Stadium in Christchurch against Australia, the NZRU completed their review, and concluded that the gesture had a radically different meaning within Māori culture and haka traditions, indicating the drawing of "hauora", the breath of life into the heart and lungs. As a result, "Kapa o Pango" was performed, complete with the final gesture, before the Australia test.

The controversial gesture was withdrawn in 2007, with a modified action (raking the right arm from the left hip to over the right shoulder) when "Kapa o Pango" was performed in test matches against France and South Africa.

During the 2008 Tri Nations series, the All Blacks appear to have reverted to the original action of drawing the hand across the throat.

The motion was again withdrawn when it was performed in 2019 Rugby World Cup against South Africa and Ireland in Japan.

Outside rugby

Part of "Kapa o Pango" is performed by the character Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) in Walt Disney Animation Studios' 2016 film Moana.[25]

See also

References
  1. "All Blacks Haka". All Blacks Experience. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  2. "All Blacks irresistible in remarkable 57-0 drubbing of South Africa". Guardian. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  3. Knuckey, Brodyn. "Ill-disciplined All Blacks suffer record loss to Springboks". 1 news. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  4. Airey, Thomas. "Keven Mealamu on family, faith and Manu Samoa's Cup chances". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  5. "Super Rugby Pacific: Tana Umaga to give back to Samoan roots as Moana Pasifika head coach". News Hub. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. Stokes, Jon (28 August 2005). "New haka the cutting edge of sport". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. Cleary, Mick (6 September 2005). "Cut-throat haka does All Blacks no favours". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  8. "Laporte not a fan of Kapa O Pango". RugbyWeek.com. 11 August 2006. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  9. "Wales stare down All Blacks haka before 2008 Millennium Stadium Test" (video). BBC Sport. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  10. Carbis, Ian (21 October 2015). "Rugby World Cup 2015: How the New Zealand haka has moved on from war cry to intimidating pre-match ritual". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  11. Browne, P.J. (16 October 2021) [2016]. "Watch: Ireland Face Haka In Figure-Of-Eight Tribute To Anthony Foley". Balls.ie. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  12. Deguara, Brittney (20 October 2019). "All Blacks v Ireland: Irish fans drown out haka with deafening folk song". Stuff. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  13. "England fined for V-formation during All Blacks' haka before RWC semi". Nine's Wide World of Sports. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  14. Waterworth, Shay (28 November 2020). "All Blacks honour the late Maradona with emotional shirt presentation". Rugbydump.com. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  15. "South Africa power past New Zealand to pile pressure on head coach Ian Foster". The Guardian. PA Media. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. Chapman, Simon (29 July 2023). "Wallabies captain Allan Alaalatoa's unique response to All Blacks haka". Nine's Wide World of Sports. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  17. "The All Blacks have touched down in France ahead of the Rugby World Cup and made a special stop before settling in to camp". 1 News. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. "11-try New Zealand thump Namibia but Ethan De Groot shown red card". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  19. Wall, Jamie (29 September 2023). "Who leads the haka for the All Blacks?". RugbyWorld.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  20. McConnell, Lynn (14 October 2023). "All Blacks Cap Off Pool Play In Style". allblacks.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  21. "New Zealand and British and Irish Lions share series spoils". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  22. "New haka gets public approval". tvnz.co.nz. 8 July 2006. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  23. "Haka furore adds spice to Bledisloe duel". The Age. Australia: Fairfax. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
  24. "Life is precious, live it to da fullest...!". souvenjawaven89.blogspot.com. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  25. "Maui Haka" (YouTube video). YouTube. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
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