'Insult to Māori': South African university rugby team slammed for All Blacks haka rendition

A South African university rugby side have been slammed on social media after performing a haka before their opening match of the Varsity Shield.

Walter Sisulu University, nicknamed the All Blacks, performed their rendition of the All Blacks haka Kapa O Pango against the Rhinos, with the video since going viral online.

But fans were not impressed.

"As a Kiwi this is really in poor taste. The Haka belongs to the Māori people. Very disrespectful by this team to think it's okay to use it for themselves," one fan wrote on Facebook.

"In my opinion it is extremely disrespectful and unacceptable! As a South African it was a absolute privilege facing the Haka on a school rugby tour to New Zealand. It is a tradition of the Kiwis and no one should be replicating it," wrote another.

"It's an insult to Māori people of NZ, and it's poorly done," said another fan.

The video had a similar response on Twitter.

"No, no, no! This is embarrassing, there's more than enough cultures in SA to pick inspiration from if they wanted a traditional way to offer the challenge," one user commented.

While another wrote: "Could have performed a Zulu dance rather, that's more traditional. Haka is not South African."

It's not the first time Walter Sisulu University have preformed a haka before a Varsity match.

In 2018 the side went viral for a similar video of them performing their version of Kapa O Pango before facing the Rhodes.