Tietjens withdraws

New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has withdrawn as guest speaker from tonight’s Southland Sports Awards after making an off colour joke at the recent Otago sports awards. Tietjens reportedly shocked some guests with a joke about removing a women's bra, with or without her consent, in Dunedin last Friday. He apologised this week. ''It was a joke, in hindsight, which I should never have used and I am deeply sorry,'' he said. Sport Southland had been happy to continue with Tietjens as their guest speaker for the sold-out awards night but he withdrew yesterday and has been replaced by former All Black Justin Marshall.