Henry’s decision to select Benson Stanley and Victor Vito as new All Black squad members stuffs this weeks wisdom from Chris Laidlaw and Andy Haden that Pacific Island players can’t be bright enough to think strategically and talented enough to be All Blacks.
Hmmmm Chris Laidlaw said that???? I find that difficult to believe. I understand he thinks OTHERS think that.
Isn’t that what Haden said. When asked to comment on Laidlaw’s comment in Laidlaw’s book.
I understood Haden was suggesting the Crusaders dont htink PI players are worth having int he team (beyond 3 players). Richard Boock wrote a fantastic piece in the SST a couple of years ago.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/sport/669085
I noticed Miles David of Radio Sport brought this all up two weeks ago, when he again suggested PI players are not “thinking” players but he said this wasnt racist cos its like (and I kid you not) saying black men have big todgers (his word) and that’s a compliment and that white men have small todgers and that is fact so it’s not racist…the same as saying PI players are not great thinkers!!!???
The callers I heard mainly agreed with Davis that PI are good for power and strength but not thinking. Better this kind of nonsense is said out loud than snickered behind hands or closed doors.
There re some very backward people in sport and rugby. Even the NZRU agrees the AB’s are more reflective of society than the NZRU Board is.
I havent read Ladilaw’s book nor did I see him on Deaker (wont watch Deaker for reasons I wont bore everyone with) – I found this below which as bit of what laidlaw said in his book.
“For a clear, objective view, go no further than the chapter of Chris Laidlaw’s book, Somebody Stole My Game. Under a chapter titled Is Brown the New Black?, Laidlaw hails the benefits Polynesian players have brought to New Zealand rugby and the country as a whole.
He also gives examples – from the mouths of Polynesian coaches and players – of how teams dominated by Maori and Polynesian players can be inconsistent.
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Laidlaw, a former Race Relations Conciliator, wrote: “… it must be said that, simply because of that explosive energy, Polynesian players sometimes make themselves more vulnerable to missed tackles and because of all that instinctive brilliance, they sometimes just go their own way on attack, compromising a team’s tactical plan.
“… Maori and Pacific Islanders tend to be more instinctive than measured in their approach and every team at the top level needs someone who can plot and plan, adjust and adapt. There will always be a place for a Grant Fox or a Conrad Smith and it is this …variety that gives rugby its character.”
That’s the real issue. It isn’t who is smarter. It’s a question of developing resources. It’s how we get the skinny white guys, the Grant Foxs, the Nicky Allens et al, through a rugby nursery that sees such schoolboys run over by trucks every weekend, in the shape of Polynesian boys whose muscle mass and hardness matures much earlier. The problem is keeping such players in the game before they drift away to do something other than get steamrollered.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10648411&pnum=2
They didn’t actually say that but it’s not the issue anyway.
The Crusaders are NZ’s most successful rugby franchise of the past decade. Count super 14 titles as proof. When the Crusaders run out on the field they are the whitest side in the comp. Even their Maori players appear to see less sun that other parts of NZ.
If the Crusaders are used as a benchmark for AB success then we need to open up their strategy and use it at AB level.
I doubt PI players are subject to a quota in Canterbury however it may have more to do with the fact that being a “darkie” and living in Canterbury is less welcoming in terms of both weather (freezing) and other Cantabrians (slightly more racist down there aren’t they) than it is in say Auckland. That is, PI players choose not to go there.
More of an issue should be NZ’s use of PI players to the detriment of Samoa, Tonga and Fiji as rugby playing nations. All three countries would have far stronger national sides if NZ didn’t pinch their best players.
I am mildly surprised Kate, after all thats one of the natural benefits of a free market? Sorry – couldn’t help that one. 8)
when did Chris Laidlaw make those remarks Trevor?
My understanding is that Haden’s comments on Deaker (with Laidlaw) expanded on comments Laidlaw made in his book. I haven’t bought it.
And on the prickly one’s comment @ 4.09 I think we need to develop a system whereby after say one season clear of representing NZ players are eligible for Pacific countries. I think it should be a once only change though to stop a chequebook induced merry-go -round.
McCully has let Hayden has walk away with only an apology for his ‘darky’ words while his outrageous claims about the ‘quota’ and its ‘in the manual’ at the crusaders still stand
The NZRFU must have their hair on fire at McCullys weak approach, and his lack of B@#%s.
Not oanly is McCully a disgrace as Minister of Foreign affairs but as Minister for RWC he’s a bootlicker for the racists in rugby
Haden’s comments have been picked up by the international rugby media, and the general news agencies. Labour should compile a selection and table them in Parliament. Read out a few to McCully.
New Zealand doesn’t need this “embarrassador”.
Not sure what your post proves- we all know PI’s love and excel at union. When you see Manu Samoa and Fiji at RWC’s it is obvious that their are no tactical deficiencies in the game, witness the way Fiji challenged South Africa better than anybody in France.
If anything we should be looking at ways to get more PI and Maori kids to cricket and soccer- I love watching Ross Taylor play cricket, and we have had some great Maori All- Whites over the years.
cactus – Mils Muliaina was born and raise din Invercargil with his 7 brothers and sisters. Am assuming your comments were tongue in cheek, because the days of white Christchurch have gone.
I wouldnt be surprised if the Crusaders had some kind of informal policy. There are MANY people of administration-type age who believe this crap.
The days of white Christchurch are indeed gone, but that’s not to say that everyone in Christchurch approved of their passing.
“… the days of white Christchurch have gone.”
ummm – wish that was true, but its still very much a red neck zone, based on the first four ships.
All that aside, strategy is only as good as the coach – so if any player is playing thier own game – then thats an issue for the coaches to fix. On the face of it, it would seem that the comments about Maori and Pacifika not being ‘thinkers’ is borderline if not crossing the line into racist stereotypes.
Loota and Paul, I am agreeing with you, was trying to dispel the idea that non whites dont appear in decent numbers in Crusader teams because they dont want to live in CHCH cos it’s cold.
its cold alright!
Bringing back to the issue – Haden was actually speaking out agains this apparent racial quota for PI players in Chch. Bernie Fraser has today backed him up.
Tracey – what is your point? Invercargill last time I checked was miles from Christchurch and is in the Highlanders catchment area. Mils doesn’t live there now does he? According to http://www.chiefs.co.nz/The-Team/Player-Profiles-/Mils-Muliaina/ he was actually born in Samoa (not Invercargill) and moved to the South before never returning (his choice) once he got a scholarship, not to a Canterbury school, but one in Auckland. Where according to Haden, they are more welcoming.
An extraordinary statement by Murray McCully today.
“What is the allegation? The allegation is that some franchises have their own views about how they are going to select their players,” Mr McCully told a press conference.(Herald)
No, Mr McCully. The allegation is that a franchise broke the law, by discriminating on the grounds of race. And you are supposed to be a Minister of the Crown.
Never mind Haden. McCully should resign.
A bit late I know, but I can’t leave this unsaid. Hadens’ suggestion that the Crusaders are limiting numbers of Maori and PI players is a load of old cobblers. Of the 139 players who have played for the Crusaders since Super Rugby began 1996, 69 of them have been Maori/PI players. Thats a fraction under 50%. When you consider that Maori and PIs make up less than 10% of Canterbury’s population, that makes them hugely over-represented, by a factor of over 5!!!