Kapa o Pango

The All Blacks performing "Kapa o Pango" in 2011

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 98 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 75 tests, lost 20 tests and have drawn three times. 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]

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] 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]

  1. ^ "All Blacks Haka". All Blacks Experience. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  2. ^ "All Blacks irresistible in remarkable 57–0 drubbing of South Africa". The Observer. Guardian. 16 September 2017. 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". Newshub. News Hub. Retrieved 25 August 2023.