Before the start of the first match of the greatest rugby rivalry, the Stormers team met the All Blacks Haka at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday evening. Stormers captain Rukah Nel initially planned to sing the national anthem with his teammates against the All Blacks, but decided to remain silent during the performance, fearing that emotions might take over in front of the home crowd in Cape Town.
Nel, who was one of the experienced players for Stormers in the 38-21 defeat, admitted that the atmosphere at the packed DHL Stadium on Friday evening was too intense to process. Meanwhile, his teammate Hajiva Daimani sang the Nkosi Sikilel’ iAfrika anthem with tears in his eyes.
For many Stormers players, including Nel and Daimani, this was likely their first and last chance to sing the rugby XV anthem at the opening of the Greatest Rugby Rivalry. The energy at the stadium was electric as fans gathered to watch the first DHL Stormers versus All Blacks match.
Nel shared his impressions, noting: 'It is truly special. I think not many guys have had the opportunity to sing the national anthem before a game.' He continued: 'Nevertheless, there is something special about listening to the New Zealand anthem before singing your own. You almost feel like you are part of something bigger. And then doing it in front of friends and family, at the full DHL stadium, is incredible.'
The Stormers players had a rare opportunity to perform the South African anthem before facing the All Blacks in the opening match of the Greatest Rugby Rivalry, and for many, it became one of the most memorable moments of the evening. Nel initially intended to join the singing, but the reality of the moment quickly changed his decision. He explained: 'I told myself I would sing, and then when the anthem started, I thought, 'No, I will stay silent, otherwise I will start crying.' '
He also noted: 'But it was incredible, just standing there. Vern (Matongo) was obviously standing next to me, who, as you said, was also just absorbing it. I am so happy for the guys that we could all experience it together. I am so happy that we could meet this occasion.'
Furthermore, Nel emphasized that encountering the Haka was something special, calling it 'an incredible experience that we were very lucky to be a part of.' During the 65 minutes of the match, Stormers fought against the All Blacks using all their strength until the time limit came into effect, after which the visitors took the victory by scoring three touchdowns in the last ten minutes.
However, the passion demonstrated by the Cape Town team should have pleased most of their supporters, and Nel stated that he is extremely proud of this fight. At the same time, his competitive spirit would like to see them capitalize on the opportunities they had to defeat the All Blacks.
