Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: Just a Glitch

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  • mark taslov,

    Does every foreign rugby tour have to end with a police investigation into team antics in a hotel room?

    So Tom hit the nail on the head.

    Bastareaud walking into his hotel with two other players and two women, TV One reported.

    Doesn't sound like an isolated incident to me Mr. Key. This could do wonders to New Zealand's build up for the world cup though.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    There are many disturbing angles to the Bastareud's story, but hopefully his club in France will throw the book at him.

    Max Guazzini, the owner of Stade Francais, also issued a statement saying it was a youthful misadventure.

    "It was simply jolly japes by a youngster," said Guazzini in a statement.

    "He had too much to drink, came back to his hotel and fell over the table in his room. He has now gone on holiday to the French West Indies."

    That will learn him.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Meh... I'm sorry, but when it comes to lying about the highly embarrasing drunken face plant, I've not got a lot a lot of room on the moral high ground to posture on.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    One does have to wonder about why would you lie about falling on a table?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • nz native,

    ............. falling on the table is the second lie .....................

    Things just got a little out of hand .................

    Since May 2007 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    One does have to wonder about why would you lie about falling on a table?

    And is he still lying to cover up some other incident?

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    One does have to wonder about why would you lie about falling on a table?

    And is he still lying to cover up some other incident?

    Exactly.

    Just scanning Twitter and there seems to be a lot of people comparing Bastareaud lying to the Rainbow Warrior bombing. That's probably a bit far, even for a joke.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    Tew was awful on Campbell Live last night. Clearly he has eyes only for the All Blacks, and seems to think they exist in a vaccuum. Sure they make the money, but with a bit of lateral thinking the NZRU could be enhancing the value of the ABs, rather than milking them. He caught himself referring to the All Blacks as a business twice, which really rankled with me. The man has no vision at all

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    In fact the big news, and really it's pretty big, is that the Phoenix Suns have traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers (for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a 2nd round draft pick and a pile of cash).

    FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    One does have to wonder about why would you lie about falling on a table?

    Well, this recovering alcoholic can only speak for himself but "deep denial" is a good start.

    Just scanning Twitter and there seems to be a lot of people comparing Bastareaud lying to the Rainbow Warrior bombing. That's probably a bit far, even for a joke.

    But hardly surprising in a culture where Anton Oliver can have a major stupidity leak like equating being knocked out of the RWC to Passchendaele and nobody turns a hair.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    He caught himself referring to the All Blacks as a business twice, which really rankled with me. The man has no vision at all

    I think Tew's got one of the hardest jobs in the country, so I have some sympathy for him. How do you keep NZ rugby strong and flush with cash, unless you keep your TV network paymasters happy? No cash means more top players go overseas and less money for grassroots development.

    Like it or not the ABs are a business. They bring in loads of cash to fund everything else. As a traditionalist I'm not completely happy with some of the recent changes, but if I were in Tew's shoes would I do anything differently? I'm not so sure.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    The last person who made up a story about being attacked by a gang while out tired and emotional in Wellington ended up getting into parliament.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    Like it or not the ABs are a business. They bring in loads of cash to fund everything else. As a traditionalist I'm not completely happy with some of the recent changes, but if I were in Tew's shoes would I do anything differently? I'm not so sure.

    He's building an unsustainable model that will bite us on the arse in the next few years - insufficient opportunities for coaches beyond Super 14, narrowing our professional ranks and creating an ever increasing gap between that and provincial rugby, ignoring other potential revenue streams, failing to follow their own rules (a la messers Carter & McAllister).

    Sure it's a tough job, that's why he's paid the big bucks.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Sure it's a tough job, that's why he's paid the big bucks.

    I know that, but every decision he makes will cause some harm - either to grassroots rugby, to international rugby, or to the TV networks who pay for everything. Every way he turns he's f***ed.

    I'm not suggesting every move has been the right one. Nobody should be beyond criticism (other than me, of course), but I don't see any simple solutions.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    LegBreak:

    Some shots are cheap. Others are worthless.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I realised what a tough job Tew had when I tried outlining some ideas (that I had discussed with friends and thought were quite good) here only to have everyone disagree with me AND disagree with each other. I'm not a Tew apologist (because he does make some godawful decisions) but it's not an easy job to try and make everyone happy all the time.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • nz native,

    ............... a gang of 'dope smokers' LegBreak.

    It was a lushed out Natianal candidate who was beaten ( but not robbed ) by a unseen gang of dope fiends.

    Those filthy dope/fiends attacked our happy drunk because he'd told them off for smoking the rancid dope around his doorstep before ..........

    It could even be the same dope fiends/drug addicts who burgled John Keys place .................. ol john boy told us it was those bloody druggies who did his house over.

    ........... and that man woudn't lie.

    Since May 2007 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    He's building an unsustainable model that will bite us on the arse in the next few years - insufficient opportunities for coaches beyond Super 14...

    While I don't entirely disagree with you, how would you like them to create more coaching opportunities beyond the Super 14?

    The next level up is international, right? Surely there's a finite pool of opportunities there?

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Currently some nice jokes on twitter:

    @nzben:
    Apologies, I didn't have a heart attack last night, it was just the awesome chilli. #bastareaud

    @twelveplusone:
    I didn't miss the last 83 and had to get a $40 taxi home because I was drunk last night, it was because the bus was early. #bastareaud

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    And is he still lying to cover up some other incident?

    The way the police guy interviewed phrased the camera evidence seemed to strongly suggest the injury happened in the period between Bastareaud entering the hotel (accompanied by others) and entering his room. One can conjecture a number of unflattering scenarios which would cause him to come up with the table story, but it'd be pure speculation. I don't think anyone interviewed on Morning Report bought it, though.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Well, I hate to say I told you so...

    Bastareud is a complete "le coc sportif" all right.

    I took the trouble to listen to Steve Tew's long interview on radio sport yesterday (or the day before?) it was quite illuminating. If anyone has a link to it, I would recommend a listen. I thought Tew came across as well informed, articulate, and persuasive. I also thought he is arrogant, completely out of touch, out of fresh ideas, and has no long term vision for the game of rugby in New Zealand. Tew can't seem to grasp the game is massively over-exposed and it's competitions are stale.

    Arrogant because blaming and threatening the people of Christchurch because they are not so stupid as to pay almost a $100 in a recession to sit in a building yard on freezing cold night in late June to watch a stuttering All Blacks thrash an inept team ranked twelve places below them is the sort of majestic arrogance one has grown accustomed to from the monopoly that is NZRFU, but hardly acknowledges the reality of things.

    Out of touch because no one seems to have told him that after twenty something years in its various incarnations New Zealanders have had enough of a stale Super Rugby & Tri-nations competition. Out of touch because he can't see the All Blacks are over exposed and their aura is suffering. More and more people are saying the players are self-serving and seem to see the All Black jersey as a way to add a zero to their European club contract. His impatient response that if you don't like it then come up with better idea is idiotic - Steve, that is YOUR job!

    Out of fresh ideas because it is clearly now outside his frame of reference to take it seriously when people do ask if it is REALLY that vital to T.V. in Europe to play the likes of France and Italy at night in the South Island. And why play the Wallabies at night anyway?

    No long term vision because I grew up in a era when we had much less rugby, but it seemed more interesting. Club rugby meant something, people couldn't wait for the first provincial matches (in June!!!!!!), there were Ranfurly shield games, NPC games were teams had different styles (the running Maori rugby of BOP! The fearsome rucking of Otago! The brutal outrages of Canterbury!), inbound tour matches, and tests were rare and sensational events. Yet Tew is dismissive when provincial fans reply to his demand that they sacrifice their local union on the alter of "same same but different" Rugby NZRFU style ask "Why? What is in it for us?"

    Tew doesn't understand that rugby is caught in a real squeeze. Older, tribal, fans are sick of being told they don't know the big picture and to shut up by the NZRFU. Younger fans who see rugby as just another TV option increasingly prefer league. But he just can't - or won't - see it.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    "He had too much to drink, came back to his hotel and fell over the table in his room. He has now gone on holiday to the French West Indies."

    The local hotels will have to child proof their rooms.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    Somebody close to this poster dobbed the Holiday Inn in for the quality of the paving outside their cafe area; she fears she'll have to complain again about the apparently aggressive nature of their bedside tables.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    based on reports that three French players and two local women were seen entering the hotel, perhaps Bastareaud received teh bash for trying to mow someone elses lawn? At least that would cast at least one Frenchman as tres gallant compared to his Antipodean colleagues in the Cronulla Sharks.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    @Craig Ranapia:

    Apart from the international exposure aspect, I'd have thought the 2 cases have similarities.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

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