All Blacks relent on total blackout
The All Blacks have asked for windows at Westpac Stadium to be blacked out so lunch guests can’t see them train – despite maintaining they’re not paranoid about bugging.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has introduced new rules that mean the stadium has to hang curtains so that guests at Wellington’s Centurion Rugby Club annual fundraising luncheon can’t see today’s ‘‘captain’s run’’ training session.
The lunch, for more than 750 people, is being held in the level 4 gallery of the stadium, and many of those attending expected to be able to see the All Blacks train.
Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon confirmed NZR had requested the windows be blacked out during the event.
It was the first time the stadium had had to put curtains in the way of the view, since a new rule was introduced in November.
It was a stipulation of hosting test matches that training sessions were closed, Harmon said.
The new rules had been well communicated to anyone wanting to hire out a space in the stadium, and every other venue would be under the same restrictions, he said.
Dan Tatham, NZR’s head of rugby operations, confirmed the ban, but partially relented last night.
‘‘As is standard international practice, captain’s runs before a test match are closed when held at the match venue, unless opened by invitation of the team.
‘‘Teams, as a matter of accepted international practice, usually open at least 15 minutes of training for media vision.
‘‘The All Blacks have agreed to allow the Centurions to watch this open portion of their captain’s run in Wellington tomorrow.’’
Centurions spokesman Nigel Stirling said the club had to accept responsibility for not recognising the ‘‘blackout’’ was a serious issue soon enough. It was considering refunding part of the ticket price to people who had been attending specifically to see the All Blacks train.
Details of the extra security measure come after a bug was found in the All Blacks’ hotel before last weekend’s Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney.
When asked whether the team was now paranoid about security, assistant coach Ian Foster said: ‘‘You can kick that word for touch. All teams are protective of the way they want to go about things, and so that [the security check] is just something we’ve done occasionally for obvious reasons.’’