Crusaders pyrotechnics on the back-burner after smoky haze at One NZ Stadium

Thursday, 4 June 2026

The only smoke at One NZ Stadium this weekend will be coming from the red hot Crusaders as they take on the Blues in the Super Rugby qualifying final.

Last week the stadium was filled with a smoky haze after fireworks lit up the arena for the Crusaders Men’s Mental Health Match.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said the club won’t be using fireworks again.

The club faced some criticism for using pyrotechnics in a roofed stadium, but also support from others saying teething problems were expected.

Mansbridge said the club didn’t get the fireworks right, but he was committed to making the match day experience about more than the play on the field, and would keep trying new things to broaden the experience for those attending a home game.

“We cannot rest on our laurels in terms of fan engagement. It’s really important that we make our events for something more than just rugby heads.

“We need to make it something that everybody enjoys if they’re going to give up sitting in front of their TVs at home.”

Mansbridge said there were a few complaints from punters who were chilly when the fans were turned on to disperse the smoke, but overall the haze did not interrupt the game.

Regardless of the fireworks fumble, fans have come out in force for the Crusaders’ clashes at One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha.

Within 20 minutes the 25,000-seat stadium was sold out as tickets for Saturday’s qualifying final, between the hometown heroes and Auckland’s Blues, went on sale on Tuesday.

It’s likely Saturday will be the last Crusaders home game of the season, unless the Chiefs or the Hurricanes are defeated in their qualifying matches, Mansbridge said.

Venues Ōtautahi (VŌ) chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said the stadium had tested pyrotechnics with the same operator used by the Crusaders in mid-April ahead of the Once in a Lifetime concert, which did not present a haze issue.

However, a change in location of where the fireworks were set off and a “slightly different scale” left the residue of the spectacle in the air, she said.

Harvie-Teare said while lingering smoke is not ideal for players or fans, VŌ was working with venue hirers to ensure future spectacles have robust testing to understand all risk associated with any activation, including pyrotechnics.

Future use of pyrotechnics will be on a case by case basis, she said.