The All Blacks’ Haka explained – plus rugby’s other rituals

One of the most intriguing and anticipated moments in the sport of rugby union: the sight of New Zealand’s All Blacks performing their world-famous haka as the opposition stands before them.

But how much do you know about the haka? And also of the three other ceremonial war dances which take place in rugby: the Cibi, Siva Tau and Sipi Tau.

Find out everything you need to know below…

History of the haka in sport – When did it start? What does it mean?

An ancient traditional Māori practice, there is no single recorded date for the haka’s first-ever performance owing to this very reason. It has been practised by indigenous Māori communities for centuries.

The earliest point at which Europeans witnessed the haka was the 18th century: Joseph Banks and James Cook on their first voyage to New Zealand in 1769 recorded the haka as “vigorous and ferocious”.

In terms of its introduction into sport, New Zealand’s first rugby union side visited Australia in Sydney in 1884 and performed the haka. During 1888/89, a ‘New Zealand native team’ toured the UK for the first time, performing the haka on October 3 1888 against Surrey in a tour match.

The year 1905 saw the birth of the ‘All Blacks’ as they toured Britain with a team which came to be known as ‘The Originals.’

The All Blacks performed their famous “Ka Mate” haka before Tests against Scotland and Wales, with it having been composed in 1820 by Māori chief Te Rauparaha.

Yet, the tradition of the All Blacks performing the haka on home soil and before every Test they played did not become custom until 1986.

Ahead of rugby’s first World Cup in 1987, All Black Buck Shelford set about reforming the haka in order for pre-match performances to be organised, in sync and executed properly.

“If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right. Either perform the haka properly or not at all. Vote on it and decide which way you want to go,” Shelford is said to have told team-mates at the time.

Shelford and team-mate Hika Reid subsequently taught and trained the All Blacks squad correct pronunciation of words and actions, and of the haka’s importance.

At the 1987 World Cup in New Zealand, with Shelford now captain, the All Blacks performed the haka in New Zealand for the very first time, en route to the All Blacks clinching the trophy.

In terms of what the haka means, “Ka Mate” is the recitation of a traditional Māori poem about life, death and resilience.

The more common haka performed by the All Blacks today is the ‘Kapa o Pango’, first performed in August 2005 before a Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Dunedin.

The haka featured an extended and aggressive introduction by team captain Tana Umaga, highlighted by a drawing of the thumb down the throat.

Famous haka responses – how should teams respond?

There have been a number of famous haka responses from opposition sides over the years.

In 1996, Australia famously (or infamously?) decided to totally ignore the haka altogether in Wellington, turning their backs on the All Blacks, following on from Wallabies great David Campese choosing to ignore the haka and do kicking drills ahead of the 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final between the sides, which Australia won.

In 2019, England adopted a V-shaped formation in Yokohama ahead of their World Cup semi-final against the All Blacks. Once the haka started, English players progressed beyond the halfway line and held their ground as officials tried to move them.

England were later fined £2000 by World Rugby for breaching World Cup 2019 rules relating to cultural challenges, which stated no players from the team receiving the challenge may advance beyond the halfway line. England won the match 19-7 after a sensational performance.

At the 2007 World Cup, France faced the All Blacks in a World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff, and memorably walked up in a line of opposition to the All Blacks, coming within a metre of the haka. France won the match 20-18.

France also marched forward in an arrow-formation facing the haka ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup final in New Zealand, before controversially losing 8-7 at Eden Park.

In 2005, the All Blacks agreed to a request from the Welsh Rugby Union to repeat the sequence of events from the original match a century before in 1905, which involved the haka taking place after the New Zealand national anthem but before the Welsh one.

A year later in 2006, Wales demanded a repeat of the sequence, which the All Blacks refused, ultimately performing the haka in the dressing rooms and not in front of the watching fans. Then All Blacks captain Richie McCaw defended the decision by stating the haka was “integral to New Zealand culture and the All Blacks’ heritage” and “if the other team wants to mess around, we’ll just do the haka in the shed.”

Two years later in 2008, another memorable Wales vs New Zealand haka situation unfolded, as following the conclusion of the haka in Cardiff, Wales refused to break and move until the All Blacks did. Neither side did for nearly a minute-and-a-half despite urging from referee Jonathan Kaplan, until McCaw instructed the All Blacks to break off. Wales led 9-6 at half-time but were eventually well beaten 29-9.

In 2016, Ireland faced the All Blacks in Chicago seeking a first-ever win over New Zealand in 111 years. Just weeks prior, Munster coach Anthony Foley had died in his sleep in Paris at the age of 42 ahead of a European Cup contest against Racing 92.

Facing the haka, Ireland lined up in a figure of eight in memory of Foley, a former Ireland and Munster No 8 in his playing days. Ireland went on to clinch a stunning 40-29 maiden win over the All Blacks.

Before their 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final, Ireland repeated the same haka response, but lost to the All Blacks in Paris 28-24.

In 2008, a uniquely stirring haka response took place at Thomond Park in Limerick as Munster quartet Doug Howlett, Rua Tipoki, Lifeimi Mafi and Jeremy Manning stepped forward to perform a haka facing the All Blacks with the rest of their Munster team-mates stood behind them.

A similar event took place recently in 2026 when All Blacks great Ma’a Nonu performed a solo haka facing the All Blacks while a player for South African club side the Sharks, ahead of New Zealand’s tour match in Durban.

Are New Zealand only nation that perform the haka?

While the haka is rugby’s best-known and most famous traditional pre-match ceremonial war dance, the island nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga all also perform their own versions.

Fiji perform the Cibi, which sees the team stand in formation and led by a vocal soloist, before dropping into a synchronised low crouch or knee-bend while making aggressive arm and hand gestures, concluding with an explosive jump or step-up.

Samoa perform the Siva Tau, with the ritual led by a designated chanter and players starting in a lowered or kneeling stance before rising into synchronised movements that include chest-slapping, foot-stomping, aggressive gestures, and intense vocal chanting.

Tonga perform the Sipi Tau, which begins with the team huddled or kneeling in a circle led by a central caller, before breaking into a structured formation on the field featuring deep squats, chest-pounding, rhythmic foot-stomping, and aggressive synchronised gestures.