Best of Newshub Sport 2018: Americans massacre NZ national anthem at Denver test

This story originally ran on June 26.

Was this the worst version of the New Zealand national anthem ever?

The Americans had done their best to make the young NZ Kiwis feel right at home in Denver, as they prepared for their rugby league test against England at altitude.

The locals loved the 'Big Hits, No Pads' theme of the occasion and embraced the 'Mile High War Cry' - the Kiwis haka - as their own.

But all that turned sour as the teams lined up for the national anthems.

After a passable version of 'God Save the Queen', the resident vocalist completely lost her way through 'God Defend New Zealand' (which perhaps should be renamed 'God Defend The NZ Anthem Against Foreigners'). 

What Borat did to the US anthem? That's what happened here with ours - almost. 

The mismatch of music and lyrics seemed to confuse the Kiwis players, who responded by singing louder themselves.

Of course, the anthem was almost forgotten, once they uncorked the 'Te Iwi Kiwi' haka for an enthralled American audience.

Newshub.