In the lead up to the Rugby World Cup in 2011, flashmob hakas became a popular way of expressing support for the All Blacks.
Shortly after joining in August 2008 he played in Haka's 2008–09 UEFA Cup Second qualifying round defeat to Danish side Brøndby at their Brøndby Stadium.
In the same year, he acquired experience abroad with a successful loan spell at Haka of the Finnish Veikkausliiga, winning both the Finnish championship and the Finnish Cup.
The performances show some similarities to the traditional Māori's haka war cries.
In 2009, 22 students from Spotswood College's kapa haka group Te Kura Tuarua O Ngamotu were chosen to represent New Zealand at the tenth annual Te Manahua Maori cultural competition in Laie, Hawaii.
The island is well visible from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, which caused it to briefly make headlines when Adidas in 2005 erected a metal crouching figure (shown doing a haka) as part of a campaign to promote the All Blacks during the Lions' rugby tour.