By PETER JENKINS
NEW Zealand stand red-faced this week, the laughing stock of world
rugby union.
First they stage the Super 14 final no-one could see after ignoring
repeated warnings not to chance the fickle weather in the South Island
by playing major matches at night.
Then they have to haul in Hurricanes flanker Chris Masoe –
after he punched a pub patron in the face – only to slap him
with a punishment so light it was almost as laughable as the big bloke
being belted by Tana Umaga wielding a woman's handbag.
Masoe copped a $2500 fine. No suspension, no standing down from the
All Blacks and no threat of a contract being shredded.
The back-rower, stripped of his pride by Umaga's attack, surely reacted
to the penalty with a snigger. It would have been a welcome relief
after Umaga reduced him to tears with the handbag walloping at the
Jolly Poacher around 7am the morning after the 'Canes lost to the
Crusaders in the Super 14 decider.
Umaga escaped any censure. At least the New Zealand Rugby Union got
that one right.
The former All Blacks skipper, knew Masoe was out of order. He knew
the potential damage his teammate had caused by lashing out at a member
of the public.
Umaga reached for the nearest object to pull Masoe into line.
It happened to be the handbag. Two blows to Masoe's head –
sufficiently hard enough to smash a mobile phone inside – were
some sense into the flanker.
But what of Masoe? His fine was appallingly light and, not for the
first time this season, Waratahs winger Wendell Sailor must be wondering
if the tough stance the Australian Rugby Union took over his shenanigans
three months ago are a one-off in the game.
Sailor has more to worry about now after the positive drug test that
threatens to end his career. But he was annoyed in March when banned
for three games and forced to cough up $12,000 in fines and game payments
over an incident in South Africa.
A night out on the town the day before a game in which he was not
playing because of injury led to Sailor drinking too much.
He had an argument with a pub patron and pushed him. Unlike with
Masoe, there was no punch.
The Waratahs sent him home in disgrace, imposed a one-match ban and
fined him $500. Unimpressed, the ARU added two games and a further
$3500 to the penalty.
Masoe's indiscretion was far more violent and unforgivable. But the
NZRU went wobbly at the knees, posting a fine so weak it suggested
they were wielding handbags themselves.
As for the ongoing blunders in hosting night matches in Christchurch
once the weather turns frosty, what odds another debacle when the
Wallabies play there on July 8 in the season's opening Bledisloe Cup
encounter?
Main Game asked ARU boss Gary Flowers if Australia would push to
have the game moved to an afternoon timeslot.
He suggested it was too late to have this year's schedule altered,
but he would raise the subject.
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,19329168-5001023,00.htm