The New Zealand Prime Minister, John Keys, was questioned today by media in Auckland about the growing controversy over former All Black Haden’s claims that the Crusaders have a policy of limiting the number of Polynesian players in their teams to just three.
Mr Key said Haden was meeting Sports Minister Murray McCully in Auckland this afternoon about Haden’s role as an ambassador to next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
He added that Haden’s use of the word “darkies” to describe Polynesian players “was not alright”.
“My view on that is that the comments are not only factually incorrect but they are also offensive,” he said.
The claims were made in a panel discussion by former All Black Andy Haden on The Deaker Show on Sky TV on Wednesday night. Other panel members were former All Black Chris Laidlaw and former Waikato and Springboks player Kevin Putt.
The topic was “the browning of New Zealand rugby”.
Haden said “it [the topic] was not a big issue in Christchurch”.
“Once they’ve recruited three, that’s it. That’s their ceiling. Three darkies, no more.
“In the Crusaders manual, there it is, it’s enshrined in their articles and they’ve stuck by that. And they know damn well that that’s the case. And it’s worked.”
Haden stood by his comments on Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon this morning but softened slightly, saying he was referring only to Polynesian players, not Maori.
He said he had no doubt the Crusaders had the policy but admits he was overstating the case when he said it was written in stone.
On Newstalk ZB, Haden said: “No, I don’t regret it. I think it needs debating. Everyone gets very PC about this but the reality is the Crusaders have a different mix from everyone else and there’s got to be a reason for that.”
He added his accusation was provoked by discussion on a chapter in Laidlaw’s book in which the author examined the differences between the Crusaders and Hurricanes, who have a heavy Polynesian mix.
“I’m aware that they have people in the franchise who have discussed this selection method, not including Polynesians, particularly across the academy,” Haden told Newstalk ZB.
“Whilst somewhat facetiously I said it was in writing and chiselled into tablets and brought in on horses in saddlebags before matches that was taking a bit of light-hearted look at it.
“But I know that subject is debated on a regular basis at the Crusaders.”
Haden said he stood by his “sources” from within the Crusaders organisation who had told him unbidden of the racial recruitment policy, but had no interest in revealing their identities.
He said he only made the allegation because “I had discussed it with members of Crusaders franchise before”.
He said he would be prepared to swear in a court of law “that I have discussed that, and I didn’t bring the subject up. It was volunteered to me by someone from the Crusaders franchise”.
CRUSADERS’ REACTION
Haden’s comments have attracted dismay from current and former Crusaders-connected personnel.
Current Crusaders’ coach Todd Blackadder said he had been involved with the Crusaders a long time, and had never seen any evidence Haden was right.
It was unfortunate the comments had been made because they brought the game into disrepute and hurt people and reputations, he said.
Haden should front up on his source if he was making such wild claims, Blackadder said.
The Crusaders team, beaten in the semifinals by the Bulls last weekend, included Pacific Islanders Kahn Fotuali’i, Robbie Fruean and Ti’i Paulo, as well as players with Maori ancestry – Dan Carter, Sean Maitland, Zac Guildford, Thomas Waldrom, Tim Bateman and Daniel Bowden.
This issue was discussed on national television tonight and one of the sport journalists stated bluntly that this issue is not new and has been part of rugby talk in NZ for years.
People would say things like to much coconuts in the blues and hurricanes that’s why there is no consistency and why they don’t win the S14. Or the team lack some whiteys in decision making positions.
When confronted whether he have heard these sort of talk the NZRU representative Steve Tew said he have heard it but that is just redneck talk. I’ve been in NZ for eight years now and can concur that these sort of talk is non uncommen. If not so why a rugby talk program with the topic “the browning of New Zealand rugby“?
What nonsesnse … Here are just *SOME* of the Canterbury Crusader squad members with Maori & /or Pacific Island heritage in the last five years.
2006
Leon MacDonald, Maori
Rico Gear, Maori
Casey Laulala, Samoa
Caleb Ralph, Maori
Daniel Carter, Maori
Ross Filipo, Maori
Corey Flynn, Maori
Johnny Leo’o, Samoa
2007
Tim Bateman, Maori
Stephen Brett, Maori
Daniel Carter, Maori
Ross Filipo, Maori
Corey Flynn, Maori
Rico Gear, Maori
Casey Laulala, Samoa
Johnny Leo’o, Samoa
Leon MacDonald, Maori
Ben May, Maori
Tusi Pisi, Samoa
Caleb Ralph, Maori
Isaac Ross, Maori
Rua Tipoki, Maori
2008
Tim Bateman, Maori
Stephen Brett, Maori
Daniel Carter, Maori
Ross Filipo, Maori
Corey Flynn, Maori
Casey Laulala, Samoa
Leon MacDonald, Maori
Kade Poki, Maori
Caleb Ralph, Maori
2009
Bronson Murray, Maori
Corey Flynn, Maori
Ross Filipo, Maori
Isaac Ross, Maori
Thomas Waldrom, Maori
Stephen Brett, Maori
Tim Bateman, Maori
Casey Laulala, Samoa
Kade Poki, Maori
Leon MacDonald, Maori
2010
Corey Flynn, Maori
Isaac Ross, Maori
Thomas Waldrom, Maori
Daniel Carter, Maori
Tim Bateman, Maori
Kade Poki, Maori
Zac Guildford, Maori
Seems more than 3 on any given year to me – but hey, I did not go to the same school of mathematics as Andy Hayden …
@ Rugby_Princess:
RP, he doesn’t include Maoris in the list, so less than 3?
( . )( . )
@ Pam Anderson:
It appears ole Andy Hayden not getting his face in the paper often enough anymore… here we call them publicity whores… will say/do anything to get attention.
@ Hokaai:
It is much of a muchness — whether they are Polynesian or Maori. Haden trying to apply for Komphela’s job in SA?
Someone always cries rasist… I so tired of this.
@ Hokaai:
In NZ they are referred to as “Rent-a-Quote” 😉
I would not have expected this low blow from Haden…
Anyway, I think that if Haden had such a worry, why did he not take it up properly with the Saders, behind closed doors rather than cause a public stink.
@ Pam Anderson:
Pammy 😀
Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς “polus” many + νῆσος “nēsos” island) is a subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs.
The term “Polynesia” was first used by Charles de Brosses in 1756, and originally applied to all the islands of the Pacific. In 1831, Jules Dumont d’Urville proposed a restriction on its use during a lecture to the Geographical Society of Paris.
So, even after the imposition of the 1831 restrictions, NZ remained within the region universally described as “Polynesia” … ipso facto … all New Zealanders are (Maori included), by definition of their Longitude & Latitude, Polynesians 😀
@ grootblousmile:
Equally so – one wonders why he waits until he has one foot in the grave before raising his “concerns”. Gosh, how has he lived with himself all these years ? 😯
R-P
Waldrom a maori? Golly Gosh, I always thought that guy was so white he made Bakkie Botha look tinted…
@ The Saint:
Saint, you only need 1/8 Maori blood to qualify to play for NZ Maori Team – valuable stuff that maori blood 😉
My best friend’s dad was British & her mum full blood Chinese – you could not tell by looking at her. She looks 100% Gweilo & it freaks Chinese people out when she speaks fluent Cantonese at a great speed to them 😆
I guess that old adage “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” is true after all eh ?
I can also speak fluent Cantanese, the shit starts when they start speaking back to me…hehehe
@ The Saint:
Had enough Sake two nights ago I swear I could speak Cantonese fluently 🙂
@ The Saint:
Ok, very funny. I can do basics in Mandarin, Cantonese, Bahasa, Japanese & French – as a result sometimes my English grammar is appalling ! 😆
@ Pam Anderson:
Pammy you need to drinking Moutai to be speaking Cantonese … Sake will have you mumbling Japanese !
14@ Rugby_Princess:
Saint speaks Nonsense fluently… grammar and all!
@ Rugby_Princess:
That explains the funny looks I got 🙂
Bit of a blonde moment :blush:
Rugby_Princess wrote:
Is that like kickboxing??
18@ Pam Anderson:
You should not be dlinking kickboxing…. it velly velly bad for you!
@ grootblousmile:
Well you could blindfold me with dental floss the next morning too!
This is nonsense.
All Polynesians have been allowed to play rugby in NZ since they stopped eating the opposition!!
Laat ek nou mooi verstaan: daar is nie meer so iets soos ‘n Maori span nie, of hoe ? Dit sou mos blatante rassisme wees as jy net in die Maori span kan speel as jy ‘n sekere afkoms het, of wat sê ek ? Wanneer is die Maori span ontbind ?
You see, there it is…
Things are not ok in New Zealand.
This is part of the reason why Im not so keen to go there next year for the World Cup.
Im scared Im gonna see people with arbitrary features, with arbitrary names and so on. If I sit down and have breakfast I’ll probably have arbitrary bacon and egg before departing to an arbitrary rugby stadium
@ Sheriff:
😆 if it “warrants” it….
@ Sheriff:
You are assuming you would be welcome 😉
Rugby-Princess@1; Haden stood by his comments on Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon this morning but softened slightly, saying he was referring only to Polynesian players, not Maori.
It’s about the Island boys. It’s sort of vague isn’t it; It’s like they are not looking at percentage Maori or all that sort of intriquaci’s. A darkie is a islander and one with whatever percentage Mari blood like most on your list is not considered part of the quota thing. That is what makes the whole issue so difficult to nail.
You just need to mingle a little with the rugby crowd to realise their is something going on but nothing is exact and Haden will found it impossible to defend his case or prove himself correct.
4man wrote:
Very funny 4man. John Keys was in quite some trouble a week ago by making a remark like that. Funny how he now is coming down on Haden. Amazes me how some poeple have to ability to all smell like roses whatver they do. Keys is one of those slippery-smell-like-roses types.
bdb wrote:
Jy verstaan nie mooi nie rassisme werk net na een kant toe; swart na wit. Nie andersom nie.
Rugby_Princess wrote:
Very valuable stuff indeed. All sort of perks on the house if you get that classification.
@ McLook:
Also note the general lack of “PI” population south of Wellington. PIs are very family oriented & tend to move to where they have family when they come to NZ hence larger PI communities in the North than the South. Cousins Tana Umaga & Jerry collins are a perfect example of this – both grew up in Wellington cos their parents moved to be close to each other. Not to mention, my PI pals all say it is too cold “down there” – I have Fijian, Samoa & Tongan friends & NONE are fans of cold weather 😆
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