CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
A ten year veteran security guard for the All Blacks is facing charges of public mischief after a bug was discovered in a chair in the team’s meeting room at the Intercontinental in Double Bay, before the opening Bledisloe Cup match in last year.
A hearing set down for two days has begun at the Downing Centre Local Court and the prosecution said it planned to call approximately 15 witnesses.
While it looks like the patriotic New Zealander may have been caught out playing mind games, rugby experts say this isn’t the first time the Kiwi rugby institution has prepared themselves for a potential loss with a made up ‘bug’.
“Don’t we all remember Suzie?” says one former Wallaby turned investment banker.
The 1995 World Cup final between New Zealand and a recently post-apartheid South Africa will go down in the history books as one of the most historical moments in world rugby.
South Africa, united by the Webb Ellis trophy, New Zealand, suggesting they were poisoned by a hotel staffer who gave them diarrhoea with a stomach bug.
All Blacks coach Laurie Mains was adamant afterwards his side, who were effected in their 15-12 extra-time defeat to the Springboks, were poisoned by a waitress who has become known as ‘Suzie’. He even hired a private investigator to try to get to the bottom of the matter.
However, the claim of food poisoning has long been put down to sore-losing, as is the most recent accusations of room bugging in Double Bay.
NSW Chief Of Police, Mick Fuller says while it’s worth investigating allegations of a listening device being planted in a room, he doesn’t think any Australians really care enough about rugby union to commit a felony.
“If it was an Motel up in Coffs or Currumbin for an Origin training camp, i’d be more inclined to believe it” he said.
“But the wallabies, nah”
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says his team will return to the same hotel in Sydney ahead of the Bledisloe Cup opener on August 19.
“It’s a good hotel,” he said at today’s team announcement.
“There’s potential bugs in every hotel.”
“Just like the one in South Africa in 1995”
