The controversy over the broken Ranfurly Shield rumbles on, with the Hawke’s Bay union declaring today that no player will be disciplined before the team’s NPC quarter-final clash against Bay of Plenty on Sunday.
That’s despite a player being charged with allegedly crashing a vehicle into a fence while driving under the influence of alcohol after a group of Magpies players celebrated taking the shield off Wellington on Saturday night.
The shield, broken in two, has been sent back to New Zealand Rugby headquarters after a video released on social media revealed the extent of the damage following the celebrations, with a separate photo showing what appears to be white powder on top of what is most famous trophy in the Kiwi game.
Today, former All Black and current Hawke's Bay halfback Brad Weber, coach Brock James and chief executive Jay Campbell fronted media after the team’s training, with Campbell saying all the squad would be available for selection for the match in Tauranga.
Asked whether that also applied to the player facing a drink driving charge, he said: “As far as I’m aware no player has been to court, so they’ve got to go through a judicial process and a police process.
“Once that happens it will become an employment issue. That would happen to anyone including you guys here. Let that go through the police and judicial system and then we’ll make a decision.”
Pressed on that stance by a reporter, Campbell replied: “I’d put that back on you. If you did something like that would that mean you’d be stood down from work?”
“Probably, yeah,” was the reporter’s reply.
“I very much doubt it,” said Campbell. “I think you’d probably have grounds for a personal grievance, I would suggest.”
Weber, who said the players were “gutted” at the accident which caused the shield to break, said of the player facing police charges: “I consider this team, these boys, part of my family. That’s one of my brothers. If my brother or your son did something like that we’re going to back them up and support them. He’ll own that and we’ll be there with him to support him the whole way.”
Weber said he wasn’t at the gathering where the shield was broken – the union has said it was dropped on a kitchen floor - but that: “The boys are all consistent on what happened. They’re my family and I trust them.”
Asked about the white powder in the picture, Weber said: “I wasn’t there so I’m not going to speculate on what that was. Obviously there’s a New Zealand Rugby investigation about to get underway and we’re going to be fully cooperative to all of that as a team.”
Asked whether the players would be willing to be drug tested, he said: “That’s up to New Zealand Rugby. If they were wanting any drugs testing we would be fully cooperative.”
Coach James said: “There’s consistent drugs testing by New Zealand Rugby from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. It’s done randomly. We’re not in control of that. New Zealand Rugby are starting an investigation and they’ll be in charge of running that stuff.”
Asked what the atmosphere was like during the celebrations after Hawke’s Bay snapped Wellington’s 19-match unbeaten run, Weber said: “The atmosphere was great. We had put in a performance against a Wellington team that we have a lot of respect for. They’ve done pretty special things over the last couple of years. Obviously really joyous and stoked to bring it back to the community."
When asked whether it was significant captain Tom Parsons didn’t front the media over the shield saga today, Weber said: “Not at all. He’s going to be doing plenty of media later in the week and I’m one of the bigger voices in the group. I’m here today and Tom will take over later in the week.”
Campbell added: “Everyone has been tainted with this which is why it’s so disappointing. However, we are talking about a small number present… and that’s no excuse - Hawke’s Bay Rugby have to take responsibility which we have.”
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