At 44 years old, veteran rugby star Ma’a Nonu delivered an emotional pre-match moment in Durban, South Africa, by performing a solo haka against his former team, the New Zealand All Blacks.
South African rugby teams have long faced New Zealand’s traditional pre-match challenge, but none had ever answered with a haka of their own. Nonu, who played 104 matches for the All Blacks between 2003 and 2015, joined South Africa's Sharks just a week ago to mentor younger players. However, an increasing injury list forced the team to name him on the bench for Tuesday's tour match—the Sharks' first fixture against New Zealand in 30 years.
Although initially hesitant to take focus away from his new teammates, Nonu decided to participate after discussing the idea with New Zealand assistant coaches Tana Umaga and Tamati Ellison. Following the national anthems, Nonu stepped forward alone in front of the Sharks squad and performed Kapa o Pango, the All Blacks' own ceremonial challenge.
The stadium initially fell silent before breaking into loud cheers. Afterwards, several New Zealand players nodded in recognition of Nonu's tribute.
Nonu came onto the field for the final 20 minutes of the game. On his first touch, he tackled flyhalf Ruben Love, who was only two years old when Nonu made his international debut in 2003. Although New Zealand secured a dominant 54–0 victory in rainy conditions, Nonu's gesture of respect remained the highlight of the match.