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Cape Town, warm up those vocal cords. The Springboks and All Blacks are heading for another heavyweight showdown this Saturday - and the gees is already travelling with the teams.
Before the first whistle sounds at DHL Stadium, SIX60 frontman Matiu Walters will step onto the field to perform New Zealand’s national anthem.
It follows his appearance at Ellis Park last weekend for the opening clash of the World's Greatest Rivalry tournament, where the scale of the occasion – and the sound of the South African crowd left its mark.
"It’s always an honour to be asked to perform the national anthem," Walters shares with Time Out in an exclusive interview.
"In a way, you’re being asked to be the voice for your nation in that moment, and it’s not something I take lightly."
For a lifelong rugby supporter, Ellis Park was more than just another stage, and Walters admits the nerves were very real.
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"When the South African national anthem started, I pulled my in-ears out and really soaked that up," he says. "Man, it was so loud."
That roar now moves south.
After last weekend’s disappointment for the Boks, Cape Town is now calling for a Mother City comeback!
SEE: Springboks vs All Blacks: More trains added to get fans to DHL Stadium
Cape Town has made a fast impression
The anthem appearances form part of SIX60’s first visit to South Africa, and Walters and his bandmates have wasted little time getting acquainted with the Cape.
They have taken the cableway up Table Mountain, explored the city’s restaurant scene, visited Stellenbosch and driven out to Boulders Beach with South African band Neon Dreams.
The scenery has felt surprisingly familiar to the New Zealanders, although Walters admits Cape Town caught him off guard.
"We’ve just been blown away," he says. "First of all, by the people, the hospitality and the warmth that we’ve felt, and secondly by how stunning Cape Town is."
That is high praise from someone who comes from a country that is hardly short on dramatic landscapes.
"Cape Town is slowly creeping up to being one of my favourite places,’ he adds. ‘Top five right now."
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Rivalry, respect and a Springbok jersey
The Springbok–All Blacks rivalry may be one of international sport’s fiercest, but Walters’ favourite South African memory so far proves the contest does not have to end at the final whistle.
During the band’s short stay in Gauteng, a local music producer recommended an off-the-beaten-track pub in Centurion. SIX60 arrived wearing All Blacks caps and walked into a room filled with men in Springbok jerseys.
Walters chuckles as he shares that there were a few minutes of tense staring. But then, thankfully, the geese took over.
Within 15 minutes, Walters says, the rival supporters were arm in arm, drinking Springbok shots and brandy and Coke. One patron even removed the Springbok jersey from his back and gave it to the Kiwi singer.
"It was honestly the most amazing, warm experience," he says.
It was an encounter that helped him better understand the combination of rivalry and respect shared by the two rugby nations.
"We have very quickly fallen in love with this country," he says. "We have a lot of admiration for the people and how hospitable they are. It reminds us so much of where we’re from."
From the rugby field to the Parklive stage
Once Saturday’s match is done, Walters and the rest of SIX60 will return to Johannesburg to perform at Parklive on Sunday.
The concert will be the New Zealand band’s first live performance in South Africa - and the response to its announcement revealed a local fan base they did not realise they had.
"We can’t wait," adds Walters. "We didn’t realise the fan base that we had here in South Africa. Once we announced that we were playing at the festival, we had a really awesome and surprising response."
Fans can expect a proudly live, "warts and all" performance, including the song that started SIX60’s journey: "Don’t Forget Your Roots".
The reggae-influenced hit has become something of an unofficial anthem in New Zealand. In recent years, the band has also begun performing half of it in Te Reo Māori.
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"We want people, when they come to our shows and listen to our music, to get a sense of where we’re from," Walters says.
"South Africans have been so generous with their time and their culture. If we can give a little bit of our culture through our language and our style of music, I’m really excited to do that."
First, though, there is a rather important appointment in Green Point!
Walters may be lending his voice to the All Blacks, but once the anthems are done, Cape Town will be responsible for the volume.
Keep the gees high, folks. Go Bokke!
Springboks vs All Blacks: need to know
- Date: Saturday 29 August 2026
- Location: DHL Stadium, Green Point
- Kick-off: Just after 5pm
Parklive: need to know
- Date: Sunday 30 August 2026
- Location: Marks Park, Emmarentia, Johannesburg
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