Rugby Hero ‘Lima’ (Allegedly) Bash’s the Mrs

Subsequent to a weekend incident up in Samoa Highlanders/Blues and Samoan International Brian Lima has been charged after a public assault involving a weapon against his ex-wife.  

This is Lemalu Sina Retzlaff,  Lima’s ex missus after ‘the bash’…… 

 

  
This is not the first time ‘wife slapping’ by Lima came to the attention of Samoan media.

Accusations were aired in 2011. In one incident fellow players went to protect his wife from a drunk and abusive Lima.  

Through-out his career Lima was renowned and even celebrated amongst rugby circles as a violent player, out to inflict injury legally/illegally on his opposition.    

I am not going to give the loser more precious ‘media air’ so I’ll allow you to go to You Tube and do your own searches for Brian Lima: Sinne Tu’ipulotu, Johnny Wilkinson, Jaque Fourie, Budge Pountney.  

Well back in 2008 his (alleged) spousal abuse, issues with alcohol were aired on this Samoan board.

Last year Lima accused his wife of forgery and falsifying documents but later withdrew his complaint. 

None of these ‘red flags’ dulled his lustre in the eyes of the IRB who inducted him into Rugby’s Hall of Fame in 2011.    

None of these behavioural issues saw him prevented him becoming the coach of the eighth best rugby nation on planet Earth.     

Even today The Herald headlines Lima as a ‘Rugby Hero’.

(Alleged?) Thieving Maori All Black gets a second chance

Willie Ripia is a player who has donned the N.Z Maori jersey. 

Ripia ended-up at The Western Force in 2010 as part of a ‘foreign’ allocation Australian Rugby have that gives a pathway for overseas born players into The Wallabies.   

He was unceremoniously booted out of The Force at the beginning of 2012 after CCTV footage caught him flogging money from the wallets and kit bags of his own team mates!  

He denied the claims but couldn’t argue with the footage, said he had gambling issues.   

But who thinks ‘honesty and trust’ are necessary attributes of a professional rugby player?  

Last season Ripia was made the captain, of all things, of Bay of Plenty ITM team and now he’s got a Super 15 contract with The Highlanders.     

Thieving from your team-mates must be one of the lowest acts one can perpetrate, unless the sport is rugby where it’s clearly not an issue to anyone in N.Z.   

Sean Maitland in front of a Scottish Court shortly

Former Crusaders wing Sean Maitland has been charged with assault in Glasgow, relating to a late-night kebab shop brawl the weekend prior which put a man in hospital. 

Because his grandparents are Scottish Maitland is currently donning their badge of convenience.   

His club, the laughably named Glasgow Warriors, are purportedly under-taking a disciplinary investigation which in rugby circles means staying nothing till the public forgets about it and never pay heed to the victim, a fellow professional rugby player.   

Maitland joins a growing list of Crusaders (tip: search this blog for a sample) who have fallen foul of the law.  

Kelleher in front of French Judiciary Again

Former All Black Byron Kelleher has allegedly been involved in another drink driving, booze-filled incident in France. 

French media reported the 37-year-old was stopped on Friday morning (local time) by police in Bordeaux after he was alleged to be driving on the wrong side of the road while four times over the legal alcohol limit. 

In 2009 Kelleher and his clothing brand were sued for alleged copyright breach and non-payment of fees. That hearing came just days after Kelleher, who was playing for French club Stade Toulouse at the time, was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, hitting a car and being involved in a brawl. 

 He was later sentenced to a two-month suspended jail term and fined 3500 Euros for drunk driving and violence, but the court also showed clemency in ruling the incident not be entered on his judicial record.

I doubt there will be a second show of clemency, jail time awaits this recidivist.

 

I trust his French is up-to "Please don't make me your cell bitch".  

Christchurch Sporting Administrator charged with Rape.

Currently on trial in Christchurch, are Kenneth John James Seddon-Nicholas, 24, a freezing worker, and Akaporn Kanthasao Bearman, 24, who describes his profession as a graduate and sports coach.  

Both deny four charges involving rape and sexual violation. 

So which sport is Mr Bearman involved in, let me think?  

Rugby!  

What’s more he’s the Rugby Administrator at Avonside GIRLS High!     

Note: All parties are presumed innocent.

South Canterbury NPC rugby players accused of rape

Northland Police were in the early stages of an investigation into an alleged incident at a Whanganui motel early on Sunday, last weekend.  

Allegations are two members of the South Canterbury rugby team raped a young woman in their team motel.   

Rather than empathising with the alleged victim the eloquent coach of the team, Chester Scott, told media  "I'm not really in a good position to talk right now because I'm fucking gutted," 

"We've got a campaign [to run] and we don't need shit like this." 

Sickening but typical. 

Role Model Ex AB Captain Arrested

Jerry Collins is an exemplary example of a rugby leader, someone for all young New Zealanders to aspire to. 

 

Take his 'community work' last Saturday and Sunday for example.

Not happy getting booted-out of an A&E for abusing the poor nurses, a local rugby club he continues his rampant weekend on the piss around Wellington culminating being arrested in Courtney Place for disorderly behaviour. 

But not before he was booted about of another pub and trespassed from a takeaway. 

Apparently every dad in New Zealand wants their son to grow-up into a Jerry Collins.

Former All Black Captain Abuses Hospital Staff

I predicted it previously, after his ‘spin out’ in Japan, the New Zealand public would be hearing Jerry Collins name ‘up in lights’ for all the wrong reasons. 

This came to fruition on the weekend.  

First he gets booted out of a local Wellington rugby club on Saturday night for over-extending his welcome.  

Rugby-heads never ‘pimp’ on each other so don’t expect to get specifics.  

Then later on in the evening Collins shamefully abuses Wellington Hospital A & E staff and similarly receives his marching orders.  

What a toe-rag.  

After being right and centre when he had his issues in Japan strangely neither the N.Z Rugby Players Union nor Collins manager Tim Castles want to comment on what he got up-to on Saturday?  

 

 

Keith Robinson Back in Court

Former All Black ‘hard-man’ Keith Robinson is back in court.

This time admitting (Morrinsville District Court, 3^rd July) drink-driving and driving on a suspended licence. 

He has been convicted of driving with a suspended licence twice previously, so clearly the Courts don’t take that sort of offence seriously – if they did Robinson would be facing more than fines. Loss of vehicle for example.    

Nor for that matter evidently is repeat drink-driving a serious issue when you are an AB in N.Z.      

You see these latest charges are at least the fourth time Robinson has been before the courts for driving offences, including drink-driving in 2011 and rumours (Herald on Sunday, 3^rd July) he has other driving convictions from the 1990s. 

Let’s not forget Robinson was involved in a pub brawl last year and only sentenced in January. 

What was that six months ago? 

 

So he's been in court in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

 

Caught DIC at least twice, possibly more.

As I said at the time of the injuring with intent case if he was a Black Power member rather than an All Black member the general public, his local community and judiciary would be taking a far dimmer view of his criminality.   

Up-Date 20/12/2013: Robinson escapes jail time, which is want the Cops wanted. Surely The Police would have known that All Blacks don't get the same punishment as mere mortals in this country? 

 

Simon Chisholm just can’t help himself!

His rugby legacy continues (read: here) propensity for violence seemingly knows no bounds.

Two questions...

 

Who is going to stop Simon Chisholm?  

What is going to stop Simon Chisholm?  

 

More violence mars schoolboy game

Just weeks into the NZRFU’s anti-violence ‘respect’ campaign started, an under-16s schoolboy game in Wanganui was called off early after a number of fights broke out between two high-schools.    

This comes shortly after a teenage player was killed after a post-practice brawl. 

Schoolboy rugby violence in New Zealand rather than being the exception is now the rule.  

The NZRFU’s APPLAUD campaign was always due to fail miserably, is already in tatters.  

Why should parents, amateur players obey the law of the land when so many high profile players in this country are in front of courts, escape substantive sanction from their employers?

NZRFU’s Campaign to stop spectator abuse gets off to a great start

Three South Canterbury rugby players and a spectator have been sanctioned after an on-field scuffle turned into an "all-in brawl" involving more than 20 people on Saturday (8^th June) 

South Canterbury Rugby Union chairman Brent Isbister said it was a tight senior grade game between Geraldine and Temuka in which tensions boiled over. 

"At the very end of the game a scuffle started and that erupted into an all-in brawl. The brawl went over the sideline in amongst the spectators and I guess a couple of them just couldn't help themselves," Mr Isbister said today. 

About 20 of the 30 players on the field had been involved, as well as several spectators, one of whom was a Temuka player who was not taking part in that game. 

When asked to comment Steve Spew (PeO of N.Z Rugby) quickly quashed suggestions the South Canterbury incident was anything to do with the sport he heads.

 

“This is a media beat-up. None of this has anything to do with the game, simply an indictment on society”

“Those grounds were also used for cricket in summer” Spew went on to state.

“One of the players uncles involved with the brawl had a recent death in the family and was under intense personal pressure”   

“These are young men letting off steam who happened by chance to meet at the same ground one Saturday”  

“Our investigations show two players and one spectator were involved with soccer at a junior level”

 Spew went on to suggest “The links to rugby in this case were very tenuous”.    

 

Drunken Racially Abusive Southland NPC Player gets Convicted

Today in the Invercargill District Court Judge Michael Turner convicted Southland Stags player Nelson Ngaluafe, 21, (above) on charges of assaulting a female and intentional damage. 

Despite attempts to be discharged without conviction Ngaluafe, described in court as a ''Jekkyl and Hyde'' character, was fined  $500 and sentenced to nine months supervision.  

Although Ngaluafe has no previous criminal convictions it came up in court Ngaluafe was involved in an altercation in Queenstown in 2011 in which he was charged and granted police diversion.  

Diversion and now supervision, how many ‘lives’ does he have?   

To cut and paste the Southland Times report which reads like other similar cases, the overtones are always the same: rugby player gets drunk after game and throws his weight around…..  

The judge said Ngaluafe began drinking after a rugby game on April 27 and had continued drinking until 2am when he walked out of an Invercargill tavern heavily intoxicated.  

He approached a parked car in which a man and a 17-year-old woman were sitting, and without provocation, he racially abused the woman, calling her a ''white b#@tch''. He had never met her before.  

She said ''excuse me'', and Ngaluafe grabbed her and tried to drag her out the car window before the male driver intervened, the judge said.  

Ngaluafe then walked to the driver's side of the car and smashed the window with his elbow.  

Police arrived on the scene and arrested him.   

Rugby is never to blame, eh?   

 

Homophobia is part of N.Z rugby’s DNA.

Gay slurs ruin rugby night

Unfortunately for this complainant homosexual hatred is indeed an essential part of ‘rugby circles’ – being ‘a man’ in this country.  

Hannah Spyksma learnt this salient fact the hard way.  

Homophobia is part of N.Z rugby’s DNA.  

"If you don't like us using the word faggot then don't come to the footy because it's just part of the game” is bang on the nail.  

If you object to slurs and attacks on your sexuality, excepting heterosexuality, then the last place you want to be is in a crowd of New Zealand rugby fans.   

The question one must ask though is 'Why are rugby men in this country so threatened by homosexuals?'  

Do they believe openly hating homosexuals is a defacto public admission you yourself are not a homosexual when all the evidence is to the contrary?  

Studies show the people that virulently hate homosexuals such as these blokes at Eden Park are more likely to cloister homosexual tendencies than someone who stays silent.  

 

Up-Date 16^th June: All Black Israel Dagg was ‘heard’ commenting on Twitter that his Auckland team-mate Brendon O'Connor was a "fag".    

 

 

Fallacy: It’s never rugby’s fault

 

When will this drunken-man of N.Z Sport, NZRFU, have the gumption to take ownership of ‘his’ issues?  

When will the NZRFU’s hollow words resonate with the public? 

When will the public see through their well-manicured propaganda veil?   

Irrespective of the on-field and off-field indiscretions, even murders – apparently it’s never the game at fault.  

Its society, the pressures all sort of excuses etc but never the game and the players. 

Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary the NZRFU plug the line that violence is not part of the game of rugby in N.Z.  

The NZRFU is in denial, drunk with its own importance.   

Happy to ignore the elephant in the room, knowing full well a lap-dog media will print their propaganda verbatim without challenging its validity.  

Just how many more deaths do we need before this ‘drunken bully’ owns up to ‘his’ issues?   

When is the N.Z media going to call the bully-boys bluff and ask them “What is it always rugby players engaging in criminality and not say soccer players or rowers?”   

 

Why weren’t the Domestic Violence Campaigners protesting outside Eden Park last night?

Reminder to N.Z Public cheering for this bloke and the NZRFU who audaciously selected him in the first place.

Julian Savea is on bail after appearing in court for the second time last month on a charge of common assault.

Truly shameful exercise, lack of respect to the victim - but I'm seemingly alone in this opinion.  

The presumption of innocence is always a factor in these cases.

But do these sound like the words of an innocent man to you?

"I'm not making excuses for myself. I know what I did was wrong, and I'm taking steps to make sure this will never happen again."

"But I will say my partner and I had an argument, I did some things that are wrong, that I shouldn't have done, and I apologise for that".

Tell us Jules what were you tearfully apologising for with the NZRFU Chief Executive by your side?

"I did some things that are wrong"

Being what?

Women in particular should be outraged. 

The Press all over this.

But hey this is New Zealand.

The likes of Women's Refuge aren't even willing to highlight this abasement.

The All Blacks always have a get out of jail free card, the sycophantic 4th estate by/on their side.

If Savea was just 'Samoan Joe' a factory worker from Lower Hutt or an international League or Soccer player the public would want blood, demand he was stood down from representing the country. 

I'm putting my money on Savea walking free from court despite those damning statements he issued at the press conference.  

There is one rule for high profile rugby players in New Zealand and another for you and me.

Rugby Bad-Boys front NZRFU side-line campaign

Imagine picking the following characters to front a campaign to clean up side line abuse at junior rugby games…. 

One guy 'right and centre' was charged with disorderly behaviour.  

Another bloke killed an endangered species and brutally and unprovoked king hit an opposition player from behind. 

This very same Neanderthal claims as part of the NRFU APPLAUD campaign for side-line responsibility claims laughably that “Rugby wasn't violent, it was a contact sport”  

This is him on the paddock.  

 

Kiwi mums must love the prospect of their boy being on the receiving end of this sort of 'contact'.     

There’s also another headliner N.Z representative, an idiot who drives whilst suspended. 

Sadly that’s the calibre of rugby stock in this land.

It’s hard to find anyone with any credibility to front a campaign like this.  

What a sham law abiding parents are being preached to by this 'role model' rabble.  

What a joke the NZRFU putting these players up in the first place. 

 

Seriously, is that the best you've got?  

 

Kiwi parents who care about how their kids turn-out should sit them down and tell them sternly "See that All Black over there don't grow up like him"

 

Is it any surprise to see School Rugby player die from violence?

Is it any surprise to see School Rugby player die from rugby related violence in New Zealand?

 

Given the 'love' of on-field aggression and outright thuggery.

 

# 1 Watch

 

 

 # 2 Read (press on the deceased photo)

 

 

School Rugby violence is not just isolated to Auckland.

 

In Christchurch the police are out in force for annual 'elitist' Christ College versus Boys High game to prevent fans clashing.

 

 

 

Violence and rugby are inter-twined in this country.

 

Every strata of N.Z society embraces on-field violence, so it's no wonder we are now seeing teenagers killed on a rugby pitch. 

 

 

 

Alleged Wife Beater Makes All Black Training Squad

Julian Savea who faces a domestic assault charge ( a.k.a slapping the mrs about) could be representing New Zealand in Rugby when the All Blacks play France next month, first game 08^th June.  

Savea is due back in court tomorrow (15^th May) 

The first AB training camp runs from Sunday to next Tuesday.  

He’s still playing rugby for The Hurricanes whilst on bail.   

Ask yourself; does an innocent man tearfully apologise on television to his victim, family etc in the company of his employers and get let-off?  

Have the All Blacks no shame in their brand allowing him to remain in the squad given he has all but admitted the crime "doing wrong"? 

What do female rugby followers think about Savea’s inclusion?  

 

Why doesn't the mainstream media 'climb into' the NZRFU over this?

Aaron Gilmore had to resign from Parliament after a public out-cry over a few drunken barbs thrown at a waiter.

Julian Savea can, if proven guilty, can get convicted of domestic assault against his wife/partner and  play for the All Blacks yet no-one bats a bloody eyelid!   

Especially not his employers.

Up-Date Friday 25th: Police withdraw charges after apology and completion of a diversion programme. What more did you expect when an AB comes to court?  

 

 

 

Another Day and another New Zealand Professional Rugby Thug

At time I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle trying to expose the disproportionate amount of thuggery and criminality in New Zealand professional rugby.  

The Kiwi public are ironically quick to turn-on a MP who gets drunk in a restaurant and gives the waiter a bit of stick.  

This pissed parliamentarian didn’t (allegedly) put someone in hospital with critical conditions.  

He's not facing two charges of assault.

The media commentators, politicians of all persuasions, mums over tea cups and blokes in pubs all wanted Aaron Gilmores guts for garters. 

Who in the media, in parliament in blogging circles etc is now demanding NZRFU/Auckland Rugby dismiss George Moala?  

No one!  

The lack of caring, empathy indicates the general public in New Zealand are suffering en masse Stockholm Syndrome. 

New Zealanders are so conditioned to seeing professional rugby players in court they don’t give it a second thought.    

It’s only half way through the S15 season and three N.Z franchise players alone have come to the attention of the Police.  

Players' union boss fantasies rugby professionals in N.Z are uniquely predisposed to suffer behavioural and mental challenges because of factors such as performance and selection anxiety, loneliness, relationship stress, substance abuse, stress and a lack of social support. 

So these reasons, pick one any one, are why one of Rob Nicholls charges went out and (allegedly) beat the living shit of some guy outside a nightclub in the wee smalls. 

It’s all good Rob, probably selection anxiety was behind it eh mate?  

 

Fuck the victim we need him for Saturday's game which he's still due to play!      

Without sounding like a broken record why don’t we read with the same disturbing frequency New Zealanders playing professional soccer overseas coming in front of the courts in say England and Europe? 

Soccer players face greater issues than rugby players in New Zealand playing a more competitive code, living overseas well away from their so called ‘social support’and with the tabloid-press ready to pounce on the most trivial foible. 

Why aren’t professional soccer players beating-up their partners or some bloke outside a pub Rob (the clouds are a different colour in the world I live in) Nichol??  

It is high time New Zealanders, media and public alike, treated rugby criminality seriously and the NZFU admitted it has a serious endemic problem.  

 

Footnote: I am at pains to indicate the way to make this site disappear, wither at the vine is for professional rugby players in New Zealand to respect the laws of the land. Fat chance of that happening any-time soon. All players are considered innocent until we hear otherwise.  

 

Who blames The French for not wanting Zac Guildford?

So much for Guilford returning the recent faith shown to him by The Crusaders and NZRU, eh?  

His agent has been sniffing around for a lucrative off-shore deal.  

Guildford has hardly fired a shot in the Super 15.

 

His ‘stock’ on the field has been falling faster than Hanover Finance.   

Sadly for Zac the news out of Europe is French champs Stade Francais don’t want him in their ranks. 

Who blames the French, Japanese likewise? 

He’s an off-field liability and prospective clubs treat drunken escapades like his far more harshly there than here in N.Z where he gets paid to go to rehab.  

England must be the only bolt-hole left for him once he turns his back on N.Z Rugby.  

Ex Maori All Black jailed for stealing pokie grant money given to help Junior Rugby!

A former Maori All Black Lindsay Raki was sentenced today to two years and nine months in jail for stealing pokies grant money totalling more than $300,000. 

The intended recipients of the grants that ended up in his account were the Manurewa High School Rugby Academy and Counties Manukau Youth Development Inc. 

Both groups were set-up to promote Youth Rugby.  

Raki, an accountant, was the Academy's financial controller. 

Raki was described by the judge as: “A dishonest witness who has in part woven an account that might accord with some legitimate documentation he can produce, and then created documents after the event to fill in the gaps and back up his story.”

No mention has been made as to restitution, $300,000 is a hell of a lot of money to embezzle. 

With good behaviour he’ll be out in little over a year. 

I would consider a year in low security jail for $300,000 – wouldn’t you?  

Simon Chisholm is an Embarrassment

 

 

SunLive29th April 2013 Te Puke rugby player Simon Chisholm was sent off for punching another player on Saturday in his second game after spending months recovering from a brain injury received in a king hit by another player last year. 

Simon was red carded for allegedly landing a straight left following earlier unsavoury incidents that were not picked up by match officials, according to a BOP Rugby report. 

 Te Puke player Simon Chisholm was red carded for punching another player at a game on Saturday. 

Te Puke Sports president Ashley Peat confirmed the red carding today, but didn’t see the game and hasn’t spoken to Simon.  

The match between Tauranga Sports and Te Puke Sports at Tauranga Domain was won 39-15 by Tauranga. 

Last year Simon pressed charges after he received a king hit during a match against Te Puna. 

Te Puna player Uenuku Pieta, 22, a farmhand, was charged with assault with intent to injure and was sentenced last month to 200 hours’ community work. He was also ordered to pay $500 reparation and received a year-long ban from playing rugby. 

Tauranga Sports president Trevor Grainger said after the game on Saturday the player was “okay”, and the incident is "ironic" given what happened to Chisholm last year. 

Te Puke Sports vice-president Graham Donald says the club will not comment until after Chisholm’s case is heard before the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union judiciary committee this week.

 

 

Boy did I get it wrong backing Simon Chisholm in a prior article.

I tried to treat him as a hapless victim of needless on-field violence.   

When in contrast and ironically he is made of the same cloth as the person who he took to court.

Simon Chisholm is an embarrassment.  

 

If there is any justice he'll be banned as well.

 

Two high profile New Zealand Rugby Players in Court within 24 hours

Just a day after Hurricanes and All Black winger Julian Savea appeared in Wellington court facing common assault charges we have news of yet another top rugby player facing his own day in front of a judge. 

Blues back Francis Saili will get his time in Auckland court tomorrow, facing driving charges. 

Saili was caught driving without a licence which he lost because of demerit points and speeding tickets. 

Coach Sir John Kirwan says Saili has apologised to his teammates and will face some internal discipline. 

Woop de doo.  

A Danish soccer player lost his place in the national team over a similar driving offence. 

 

It's called no tolerance.   

What is it with these arrogant sods?   

Do they think they are immune the laws of the land simply because of sporting notoriety – being big fish in a small pond? 

Evidently so.      

All Black Julian Savea promotes the Adidas Brand outside Wellington Court

I'm sure Adidas in Germany will be right-royally chuffed with this publicity. 

Julian Savea proves once again Violence is part of N.Z Rugby’s fabric.

‘It’s Not OK’ is an admirable New Zealand campaign against family violence. 

One of its literal poster-boys (refer above) is, or more rightly now was, Julian Savea. 

He's just been charged with giving his ‘mrs’ a slap around.  

It’s called common assault.  

Here’s what the naïve but well-meaning anti-violence group has to say on their web site…. 

In a sports-mad country like New Zealand, sportspeople can play an influential role in promoting a culture of non violence.  

The Campaign is working with sports clubs all over New Zealand at a national and local level, in partnership with family violence networks.  

Sports clubs and their leaders and players are influential in their own communities. Role models can talk to younger players and build a community of support that says no to family violence.  

It's not OK messages can strengthen efforts to improve behaviour on the field and on the sideline. 

Why the hell would any group trying to promote anti-violence go anywhere near a toxic group like rugby union given their sordid record?  

Rugby and violence in New Zealand are intertwined.  

The predictable from Steve Tew (a.k.a Spew) chief of the NZRU was “Without judging the rights or wrongs of this case, we are concerned that this is another incident involving a young player.  We need to find out whether we are doing enough to help these young men cope with the pressures of the professional game.”

Yet again it’s the ‘pressure of the professional game’ that we are to believe is the root cause of so-many players going off the rails.   

In what must be a world-breaking criminal research, the NZRFU have concluded there is a causative link between playing sport at a high level and assaulting people, getting pissed-up etc.       

The same sort of pressure that apparently doesn’t exist in any other top code like say N.Z Soccer players who by my recollection have never been involved in a single off-field incident, yet arguably play at a far higher level of sport on a global scale than any rugby player.   

The pressures of competing at The Olympics that have resulted in all those assaults by our rowers and triathletes – not!     

When is the NZRFU going to break-through its alcoholic like haze and admit “Our game has a serious problem”?  

 

It's not O.K to blame the profession 'rugby player' as an excuse for family violence.   

 

 

 

N.Z Rugby can learn something from Aussie Soccer

Fail a drugs-test for smoking a joint or two in soccer’s A-league and your contract is ripped-up. 

Just ask ex Phoenix player Troy Hearfield.  

Effectively it’s time for him to find a new job. 

This heavy-handed approach by soccer officials to drug/booze abuse doubtless accounts for the fact you hardly ever see their players in strife. 

More piss-heads in N.Z Professional Rugby than any other corporate occupation!

The consequences of their stark statement initially escaped me. 

The paragraph in the N.Z Herald Article entitled ‘Rugby’s battle with booze’ that said: 

“An Instep report says the number of rugby players seeking assistance is higher than that from other corporate sectors” 

Instep get to see New Zealanders of all demographics, professions seeking addiction help. 

Out of all their corp clients Rugby Players are number one pro-rata.  

This is indeed a sad indictment.    

Those on the Rugby gravy train, sycophantic middle-aged supporters point to the pressure of being a professional rugby player and this as being the root cause of the high number of players hitting the bottle and other harder things. 

They can’t be serious.  

Rugby Players have more pressure going on their lives than a local Police Detective? 

Rugby Players have more pressure going on in their lives that a Director of a major Company who earns twice as much as them? 

We also need to remember the Detective & Director doesn't need to remain at the peak of their  fitness to do their job. 

The last people who should be abusing their bodies to such a high degree are sports players.       

And if we wanted to measure pressure in top sport do we see Kiwi golfers or Rowers turning up in the same numbers in our court pages or at Insteps door?   

Rugby can never win the battle against the bottle until the NZRU &, Players Union admits their sport has a problem.  

Presently they are too drunk with their own importance to see the obvious.