Kiwiblog

I wanted an apology from the French Rugby Union (who took part in the cover up) but never thought the Bastareaud affair would become an issue for the French Government.

So one can only praise French PM Francois Fillon for an unexpected apology. Fillon is a huge rugby fan and this may have motivated him to intervene.

I hope he tears the French Rugby Union a new orifice, and that they do not just discipline Bastareaud but all those involved in covering up the false allegation.

The Dom Post reports:

The French embassy refuses to apologise for damage to Wellington’s reputation from Mathieu Bastareaud’s false assault allegations, despite a scathing article penned by its ambassador.

You can read the Ambassadors’ article for yourself here. He said:

More serious is the assault against a French rugby player in the street, on the grounds that he is French and identified as one of the best French player. At least, this is how the local press reports the event. We thought rugby was safe from such behaviour which, alas, plagues other sports. Supporters’ passion cannot fully explain this incident. Maybe the assailants took literally an article entitled “Ten reasons to hate the French”.

Is one of those reasons their arrogance and inability to say sorry?

The Dom Post editorial also makes some good points about the cover-up:

The players who entered the hotel with him and the team doctor who stitched him up almost certainly know the real cause of his injury, and so probably do coach Marc Lievremont and manager Jo Maso. Why else delay for 48 hours before telling the world?

New Zealand and France have a long and rich history on and off the rugby field. On the field it is a relationship marked by equal parts brilliance and skulduggery – both admired qualities in rugby circles. But, off the field, the skulduggery should stop.

Bastareaud has apologised to the New Zealand Rugby Union and Wellington for his lies. The French rugby union and team management should do the same to try to repair the damage done to Wellington’s name by their complicity in the Bastareaud Affair.

The lies told were not that of a sole player. Management approved the lie and attempted cover up and the French Rugby Union should discipline those responsible and apologise. If a NZ team did what the French did, the senior management would be sacked.

The Sunday Star-Times has this great after match photo.

The team arrives back in Wellington at midday.

Okay there are still 20 minutes to go, but unless something dramatic happens it looks like it will be moving to Wellington. 15-0 and 20 minutes to go.

Wellington has not had the shield for 26 years and two days after we lost it to Canterbury on 18 September 1982. I remember the match!

It has been won 16 times since then by Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and North Harbour.

We should be able to avoid holding it for only a week, as the next game in Wellington is against Tasman.

UPDATE1: Now 27-0 and five minutes to go. Also the commentators just mentioned the Wellington Captain in 1981 when Wellington last won the shield was Paul Quinn. Paul is now the National Party candidate for National in Hutt South!

UPDATE2: And that is the final score. My God that was a long drought.

Damn. The Sevens tickets sold out in 10 minutes.

If at any stage someone has tickets they can not use, feel free to e-mail me. Looking for two or four tickets. I won’t pay scalper prices but I will pay a reasonable price.

The Gods smiled on me yesterday as around lunchtime I got a phone call from a mate asking if I would be interested in watching the Wellington Lions vs Waikato game from a corporate box. Well that was a tough decision, so happily cancelled previously made plans. A few of us met at a friend’s place just down the road from me. As we walked to the stadium I persuaded them all on how we should lobby to get the bridge from the bottom of Davis Street to the stadium re-established. It would be great for Thorndon residents and cut 15 minutes off the journey.

The first quarter was amazing as the Lions scored four tries to be 26 – 0 up. And they were good tries too – great running and dodging. It was really all over at that point.

Waikato did well to fight back, but never looked like they would win. The final score was 45 – 33, with 12 tries scored in total – a great game to watch. And of course after match drinks were also fun.

Wellington owes Fran Wilde, and others, a huge thanks for making the Stadium happen. It has just transformed sports attendance rates in Wellington.

Very cute watching teams of six year olds playing on the ground before the big match.

Anyway Wellington now leads the points tables with 7 from 7. Next week is the challenge against Auckland for the Ranfurly Shield.

The allegations against the UK rugby players are dominating the front pages over here in London. Even The Times has the lurid story as its lead.

An interesting story in the Herald on Sunday. I have to say there is a high degree of cynicism about the allegations, but that due process needs to be gone through, so unless people were in the room, no-one knows for sure what happened. A key issue will be whether charges are laid obviously.