All Blacks knew Nonu’s haka was coming

New Zealand head coach, Dave Rennie, says the All Blacks knew former international, Ma’a Nonu, would perform a solo Haka in response to their traditional pre-match challenge before their 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban.

After the All Blacks performed the haka, the 44-year-old Sharks substitute stepped forward and delivered his own response.

“We knew it was coming,” said Rennie.

“Ma’a came and saw Tana Umaga (New Zealand defence coach) last night and said he wanted to be respectful and asked about the right way to respond to the haka,” Rennie told reporters after the match.

The double Rugby World Cup winner joined the Sharks as a mentor last month, but Springbok call-ups and injuries prompted coach JP Pietersen to name him among the substitutes.

“Ma’a has been good for the guys, especially the backs. He is a great addition off the field, helping the youngsters prepare, warm up and get their mindset right,” said Pietersen.

Ubuntu. Whanaungatanga. Kotahitanga. Unity 🤝🙏

Different jerseys. One shared moment. The Hollywoodbets Sharks and All Blacks wrote another memorable chapter in the history of the game 🖤🤍 Rugby brings us together.

Image Credit: @STEVEHAAGSPORT#SharksRugbyClub… pic.twitter.com/D83Oht0BJT

— Sharks Rugby Club (@SharksRugby) August 12, 2026

Written by: Ntsako Mukhari