Fireworks signal the end of the haka

The New Zealand Rugby Union has apologised to three fans who were hurt by fireworks during the build-up to Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup game at Eden Park.

One woman had to go to hospital after she was hit by debris from the fireworks which marked the end of the haka while another man suffered a gash to the head and was treated pitchside by paramedics.

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The NZRU and Eden Park are now looking into the incident and Steve Tew, NZRU CEO, apologised to those who were injured.

“Something has clearly gone wrong and we are urgently conducting a review of what happened,” Tew said. “I can only apologise profusely to those who were injured. I have been in contact with two of the people treated and I am hoping to contact the third today, to personally offer an apology.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was asked about whether he was worried the fireworks display could have done some damage to his players, and he said: “I am now, knowing that it is a possibility, yeah.

“I don’t want to make a big thing about it because I don’t know enough to be talking about it but I am sure from now on all the precautions, there would have been anyway, but now they will be doubly cautious and they may not do it.”

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A woman struck by a misfiring pyrotechnic at Saturday’s All Blacks test against the Wallabies at Eden Park lost consciousness from all the blood lost when she received a 9cm gash across her forehead.

Cecilia Wang missed her first All Blacks game after the firework hit her following the haka.

Wang was at the game with her husband, Jimmy, who saw his wife’s head erupt with blood.

“I saw the piece of metal flying, but it happened too quickly,” Jimmy Wang said.

“And then she was just screaming and lost consciousness, she was pouring down with blood. I tried to hold her cut but the blood wouldn’t stop, it was like opening tap water, it kept coming out.”

“The piece of metal hit her glasses first and because of that it changed direction and just cut through her forehead. We were on the C2 seats and it went on to hit a guy on D3.”

Another man received a minor injury to his nose.

Cecilia needed 6-7 stitches according to doctors.

“I’m still in shock,” she said, now recovering at home.

“I constantly have headaches and dizziness around the cut. It happened so quickly, I didn’t see anything.

“I felt a bang to my head and felt myself fall down, my husband tried to get me out of my seat and I saw all this blood.”

FIREWORKS SUSPENDED

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said they have suspended the use of fireworks at rugby matches until further notice as WorkSafe New Zealand begin a formal investigation of what went wrong.

”We are cooperating with them fully and look forward to them being able to determine why we had this incident, which is obviously very troubling, but also in context I have to say very unusual.

”We have used these devices as have other entertainers for many, many years and we have a very experienced practitioner contracted to us, so it’s an odd situation.”

The fireworks at Eden Park had been under the control of Waikato-based van Tiel Pyrotechnics.

Tew said the NZRU’s first priority was to do what they could to help the fans hurt during the mishap.

”The most important thing is we look after the people who were hurt and we are doing our best to ensure that’s the case.

”We continue to have contact with them to work out what we can do to demonstrate how sorry we are.

“We want to make sure they leave this incident behind them and that we know we have done the right thing.”

LASTING IMPRESSION

Cecilia Wang had been excited for her first All Blacks game – buying a jersey and waiting at Eden Park since 5pm with her husband, Jimmy.

The couple, originally from China, moved to New Zealand in 2003 and were avid All Blacks supporters.

He was disappointed by the incident and NZRU’s response. The couple wanted more than a public apology and were waiting for an in-person meeting to discuss the incident.

“We’re lost, it happened on our first time. And it’s scary, at night when I close my eyes I remember it happening, the feeling, it keeps moving, moving, moving in front of me all the time.

“I’m not really happy with the response, I’m still waiting. I saw on the news there would be an investigation about it but I’m just wondering – today my wife is so lucky, she’s got glasses to protect her.