The All Blacks performed their pre-match haka Ka Mate in the dressing rooms ahead of this morning's test against Wales in response to Welsh Ruby Union (WRU) plans to change where the haka occurred in the pre-match programme.
Usually the haka is the last thing to happen before kickoff but the WRU wanted it followed by the national anthem of Wales. The All Blacks refused to co-operate and kept the haka out of the public gaze.
When the crowd at Millennium Stadium realised the haka wasn't going to take place, there were boos and calls of "haka, haka".
The fans were given no explanation as to why the haka had been cancelled although the media were handed out a press release from the WRU and were emailed one from the NZRU - suggesting there was enough time to have told the crowd what was happening.
The incident is embarrassing to both sides.
There is a history to this incident. Last year the WRU asked the All Blacks to replicate what had happened before the famous 1905 game between the two sides, when the haka occurred between national anthems.
Because it was the centenary of the 1905 game, the All Blacks agreed to the request on the basis it was strictly a one-off. The fact Wales had tried the same trick again annoyed the All Blacks
After the match, New Zealand coach Graham Henry said: "Last year in Wales for the centenary game, they told us that in 1905, apparently, the haka was done at different time - to keep with the 100 years celebrations it was changed. But the word was given to us it wouldn't happen again but then they asked us to do the same again and we said no so it was stalement."
Asked whether fans would have been disappointed not to see the haka, Henry said it was "about the players, it is not done for the fans or the crowd, it was done for New Zealand rugby and the players themselves".
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said the players didn't make the decision "lightly".
"It's disappointing for fans but it's been traditional to do it the way it's been done and there wasn't a good reason to change it.
"If the other team wants to mess around, we'll just do the haka in the shed. At the end of the day, haka is about spiritual preparation and we do it for ourselves. Traditionally fans can share the experience too and it's sad that they couldn't see it today."
The WRU said it consulted two prominent Maori cultural experts - Amster Reedy, who was the cultural attache with the Commonwealth Games team this year, and Victoria Univeristy's Professor Piri Sciascia - before making its request.
In a statement, the WRU said: "The WRU have been informed by a top Maori expert and cultural advisor that the haka is performed to invite a response from the opposing team and were told to stand strong in front of the All Blacks, be defiant, eyeball them and sing it in a way that says "this is us, this is who we are, we're tanagata whenua.
"The WRU took advice from Maori chiefs (kaumatua) before last year's game and were assured that the haka was performed to invite a response from the opposing team.
"This year, the NZRU were informed...that the formal response from the Wales team and the Welsh nation would be the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
"Following lengthy discussions with the New Zealand team management, the Welsh rugby union were saddened to learn that the All Blacks decided not to perform their the haka prior to the match."
The dispute started on October 16 when the WRU informed the NZRU of the formal pre-match protocol.
WRU Roger Lewis said he would now take the matter to the International Rugby Board to sort out.
Asked if he thought his organisation was being childish, Lewis said: "I don't think so. I thought we offered a chance for it to be performed."
