‘I don’t think they’ve got a plan’
The perception that rugby has a problem with player behaviour and attitudes to women is highlighted on the streets of Wellington.
The Chiefs’ Mad Monday stripper scandal, the Losi Filipo fallout and Aaron Smith’s airport bathroom indiscretion have led to scrutiny of the actions of those at the fore of our national game.
‘‘I think it really is important that [the culture] changes,’’ says Lily Norman. ‘‘I think it’s important that things get brushed up quite quickly because they really, really need to.’’
The way the administrators and gatekeepers of the game have handled the recent succession of offfield affairs has also been criticised.
‘‘If you go back to the Chiefs, I thought that was appallingly handled,’’ says Quentin McCarthy. ‘‘In fact, Aaron Smith set an appalling example. Of all the places to have a scrum. In an airport? You’ve got to be joking me.
‘‘I don’t think they’ve got a plan on how to handle this sort of stuff, otherwise they would have . . . been transparent, been on to it, rather than let it bubble away.’’
Andy Thompson foresaw big ramifications if the sport’s leaders were found to be asleep at the wheel.
‘‘There’s an underlying danger that if they don’t handle [issues] properly, that our international reputation gets killed.’’
He believes the All Blacks are exceptional role models on the field, but feels some have demonstrated questionable ethics off the paddock.
‘‘I’m a local chair of our little country school and it’s pretty hard to demonstrate role models in our leading All Blacks players to our kids when they see [these issues] on TV. It’s almost impossible.’’
Alice Guerin, 20, is more forgiving. ‘‘I won’t stop watching rugby because of it. They’re human beings. People make mistakes.’’
John Garrick does not believe rugby’s image has suffered irreparable damage, but he supports a ‘cultural change’ panel initiative, describing it as ‘‘very necessary’’.
‘‘I think these guys are high profile, they’re under the view of the media at all times,’’ he says. ‘‘They’ve got to behave themselves . . . they’re going to get caught if they do something silly, aren’t they? It’s ruining careers.’’
Sheryl Paki agrees, but does not feel there will be any lasting impact on the sport’s reputation. ‘‘People probably forget in a week’s time, don’t they? . . . Then it’s back to playing rugby again.’’