Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka Ora!

The hairs on my arms raise and a thrilling feeling runs down my spine as I stand face-to-face with the All Blacks on the field, about to experience the world-famous haka, the māori war cry before every rugby match.

The fact that I’m not really in a stadium and the team in front of me is projected onto a 4-meter screen doesn’t matter at this moment. They’re life-size and looking at me (and my ‘team’ members), their voices roaring through the room. 

This is the All Blacks Experience in Auckland. Or, more accurately, a part of the 45 minutes’ guided experience. 

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Before I begin with my All Blacks Experience review a full disclaimer: I am a complete nitwit when it comes to rugby, so please forgive me if I’m getting one or the other rugby-related term wrong.

Alrighty, let’s get started.

What’s happening during the All Blacks Experience

The guide first leads us into a tunnel. In this tunnel, one wall shows all the test games since the beginning of the All Blacks, the colour of the pin (which is made of a cleat) showing which team won the game. There sure is a lot of black on that wall. I’m surprised and a bit proud to learn that the Black Ferns (the female national team) have not lost one game to Australia since they were founded in 1990.

The other wall is a band with the names of all the All Blacks players since the beginnings. The band leads through all of the experience rooms.

The first room has cinema seating and on a screen, a typical wall of your average rugby club room faces us, an old-school TV in front of it. A video shows us how rugby is not only played all over New Zealand but that it’s an important part of the Kiwi lifestyle from an early age. 

In the next room, we learn the importance of the training from Richie McCaw and others and how training is not only about the physical part but the mental strength as well. In fact, the training is divided into speed, mental strength and focus. It’s crucial not to crumble under the pressure knowing all eyes are on you as you try and kick the ball through the goalposts.

Naturally, we can’t experience the real-life pressure as we don’t happen to have a whole nation watching us on our tour but we get a taster in a simulation. Divided into two teams we have to solve puzzles on a screen, and all under time pressure. It does really increase the heart rate a bit but I highly doubt it comes close to the real deal :-)

Moving on, we’re headed into the changing rooms. According to visitors who’ve actually seen a rugby changing room from the inside (unlike me), apparently, it even smells like one (minus the sweat). Everyone sits down in a booth. Each booth has a screen and the players tell us about their very emotional moment when they got their call to become an All Blacks. Even now thinking about it still gives me goosebumps. 

After this slightly different type of locker room talk, it’s time to head into the tunnel and onto the ‘playing field’ where the All Blacks are already waiting for us to intimidate us with their haka.

Even though this is the end of the guided tour, there is still one more room waiting for us. Now that we know what it takes to become an All Blacks we get our own opportunity to show what we can (or, in my case, mostly can’t). I hope you’re not wearing your heels and Sunday best as you’ll get some sweat going now.

You know these golf simulators where you shoot your ball against a screen and depending on how hard or what angle you teed off your ball flies? The same happens here, but you have the choice between kicking your rugby ball, passing to a teammate or throwing. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to do it. A team member of the All Blacks or Silver Ferns explains how to hold the ball correctly or place it so you can successfully pass or kick. 

Another corner tests your All Blacks knowledge by quizzing you. And you work up a proper sweat in the agility test. There, you need to run forth and back as fast as you can via the green circles, avoiding the red ones as they deduct points from your end result. Once the time is up, your name and time show in the placement of the current scoreboard. Even though kids will probably occupy the agility tester, you should queue up and give it a try yourself. It’s so much fun!

Once you’re done with your ‘training’, your way out leads through the All Blacks gift shop. Go on and treat yourself, I know you need some more merch for the next game.

All Blacks Experience Review

As I said earlier, I’m no expert when it comes to rugby. But I really enjoyed the tour and could feel that passion and pride for the game and the All Blacks that I know is anchored deep in every kiwi. 

The fact that it’s interactive and you get to do challenges and little games that won’t ask any AB-knowledge (phew) make the All Blacks Experience Auckland heaps of fun and informative for those like me. And I could also witness within my own tour group that the people who grew up playing and watching rugby thoroughly enjoyed the experience, too. The love for rugby, the All Blacks and all the emotions that come with this passion are displayed so incredibly well, I promise it won’t leave you cold.

A little All Blacks Experience FAQ

How much time do I need for the All Blacks Experience?

The guided tour itself takes 45 minutes. For the interactive section and browsing through the gift shop, I’d add at least another 30 minutes (better a bit more). So if you allow 90 minutes to two hours, you’ll properly experience All Blacks.

Where can I find the All Blacks Experience?

They are at 88 Federal Street in Auckland, right next to Skycity and the Sky Tower in the old convention centre. Level 5 is where you find the colourful Weta Workshop, one level under the other new Auckland attraction, Weta Workshop Unleashed.

Will I meet an All Blacks player?

Not one in flesh and blood, no. But you’ll see players of the national teams on screen.

I don’t know much about rugby. Will I understand what they’re talking about?

As an absolute egg when it comes to rugby, I must admit I didn’t understand all the terms the guides used. But there’s an easy solution: just ask. No one will make you feel silly for not knowing all the rugby terms.

I grew up with rugby and watching the All Blacks games. Is the experience still interesting for me?

Watching other people in the group in whose life’s rugby played a big role and seeing how much they enjoyed themselves, I’d say it absolutely is for everyone.

How can I book the tour?

You can book the tour here if you don’t need any accommodation. Or why not make it an Auckland getaway package and stay in the city or on Waiheke Island for the night? Our very own booking portal Weekend Getaways NZ is happy to help you out and create a package for you!

Book the All Blacks Experience tour here

Book an Auckland getaway, including All Blacks Experience

Do you have any questions or comments about the All Blacks Experience? Message me or let me know in the comments.

Disclaimer: I was invited to the tour by the All Blacks Experience as part of a familiarisation for my booking website Weekend Getaways NZ. All words and opinions are my own.