All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has backed halfback Aaron Smith to play well in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies despite latest allegations about his airport “toilet tryst” scandal.
In a spicy pre-match press conference, Hansen also rejected claims that Wallabies coach Michael Cheika confronted him about last year’s infamous bugging scandal.
A Daily Mail Australia report claims Smith may have misled his All Blacks bosses over the incident with a woman at Wellington airport that had him sent home from last year’s tour of South Africa and subsequently suspended.
The All Blacks took the extraordinary step of banishing the reporter from Thursday’s press conference before Hansen declined to discuss the claim which stems from alleged text messages between Smith and the woman.
“Righto, well we better deal with the elephant in the room first – Mr Smith,” said Hansen.
“Obviously the incident happened last year. We dealt with it and we feel that we dealt with it decisively.
“There’s nothing more that I can add to that but if there is anything else that needs to be spoken about, it will come from the New Zealand Rugby Union themselves.”
Hansen insisted neither Smith nor the rest of the All Blacks would be distracted in Saturday’s ANZ Stadium clash.
“He is in a great head space in that he knows that he’s dealt with this issue and done the things that he needs to do around it and he’s ready to play,” said Hansen.
Nor does Cheika believe the controversy will undermine the world champions’ preparations or performance in the Rugby Championship opener.
“On the field is where the game is played,” Cheika said.
“On the field is where the contest is, not off the field and the distractions have to come on the field.”
Hansen was agitated at also being peppered about the infamous bugging affair, taking offence to claims Cheika confronted him about a perceived inference that the Wallabies had planted the listening device at the All Blacks team hotel before last year’s Bledisloe opener in Sydney.
“I don’t know if he ‘confronted’ me. We had a chat in Japan and I made it clear to him that we didn’t highlight and say (they) were a candidate,” Hansen said.
“There’s only X amount of people that would take that opportunity.
“Whether we like it or not, if you found a bug in your team room, we’d have been one of those people.
“We certainly haven’t named them as that and we never will because we don’t know who put it there.”
Former All Blacks security guard Adrian Gard has pleaded not guilty to making up claims about finding the bug secreted in a chair in the All Blacks’ meeting room at the Intercontinental Hotel.
“I’m sure when the court case is over it will all come out in the wash,” Cheika said.
dr katz
Guest
Seriously.... who gives a flying f at a rolling donut who AS (or any other player of any team) is playing hide the sausage with.
Gary
Guest
what is it about Rugby people and toilet sex ? This Smith fella , previously Sonny Bill and Alan Jones ( who apparently was flying solo ) - a toilet ? Yuk or am I an old romantic ?
Jake
Guest
"then i wonder how the papers managed to get hold of the messages ???" Um, not hard to figure out that one. The woman with whom Smith was cheating with gave them to the DM. She (claims) was treated terribly by the NZ public and media and was blamed for the whole thing because the fawning kiwi journo's were too gutless to pin any responsibility on Smith.
Charlie Turner
Guest
Agree Ken. The only revelation here is Aaron Smith is a bit more of a DH than he appeared last year and is an anomaly in Hansens selection policy.
zhenry
Guest
taylorman: Your media does have its media priorities sorted, as you well know Murdoch owns the NZHerald, but a nice attempt to decieve. If Aussie can't beat the ABs fairly on the field, grind them into dust using the Aust owned media - 'get that ASmith off the field anyway 'we' can'. Murdoch has dead bodies all around him (see my above comments) who cares if 'we' destroy people in the process. Nice one.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes boomer, the ozzies are of course right on both these occasions, how ... fortunate! but hey, good to see your media has their rugby priorities sorted, except unlike last year such efforts dont make our sides turn into a poor picked on mess where fans flocked to their aid the poor souls, it simply adds resolve. Nice one?
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
zhenry
Guest
Murdoch is NZ Herald, he's the guy who did the clown job; to motivate the Wallabies (their cartoonist confessed) and now All Black Aaron Smith gets one of the most deplorable personal ‘destroying a life’ attacks you are ever likely to see. No matter it's from Daily Mail, Murdoch put it in his own newspaper on the eve - guess rugby fans - of the first AB v WAL test 2017. Hanson in recent press conference referred to A Smith as the ‘elephant in the room’: Your out of your depth Hansen and NZRU the ‘elephant in the room’ is tabloid gutter journalism from Murdoch and Daily Mail. Your right Hansen the A Smith issue was dealt with and finished with last year; the personal details of A Smith’s private life are not the business of Hansen, the NZRU or anyone else. The Wallabies main supporters are big business and they can't stand being constantly beaten by a ‘a crap nation’ like NZ; these corporate guys advertise in Murdoch Media their used to getting what they want, all the money (the middle and poor pay over 70% of total tax revenue), they will impede the All Blacks any way they can; A Smiths pass is critical to the ABs attack; so get rid of him. The Daily Mail has been accused and successfully sued for publishing almost entirely fictional articles about private lives for their own financial gain. At present Murdoch (Fox News) is reportedly under federal investigation for allegedly hiding huge payments made to women claiming, yes ironically, ‘sexual harassment’. Murdoch employees have been accused of not only hacking into phones, computers, and emails, but also of paying off news sources. Murdoch sued an Aust academic for criticising his media, that academic went broke defending his case and he finally committed suicide. Murdoch doesn't question, investigate or criticise govts about why they went to war; not even if later those reasons were found to be lies, corporations make millions ( and no doubt advertise on Murdoch media) and millions of people die. Leave A Smith alone.
Boomeranga
Guest
Why on earth would the Wallabies do that after the bs the All Blacks pulled last year?
Boomeranga
Guest
So often it's not the act but the attempt to cover up that shows persons true colours. It's why magistrates put such weight in genuine remorse.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
No, chasing personal text messages and probably paying ex-gf for story is as low as it gets
Henry Honey Balls
Guest
The whole affair was handled very poorly from the start. Both Smith and the girl it seems both already had partners but if he had just admitted what he did right from the start I don't think it would have been such a big deal. He is a young guy and cheated on his girlfriend, he isn't the first and wont be the last.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Nothing to see here folks that I can see that is any of our business. If a lie was told about this matter, again, none of our business. Wishing Aaron well, but not too well?.
KiwiHaydn
Guest
What a stitch up. Fake news. Move on.
cuw
Guest
why do u think DM is one of the most read internet papers in the world ? and has a higher readership among women ? :) they love to stir things up - on any topic. last year they stirred up a scandal on Usain Bolt in a similar vein. it has good news and a lot of gossip on many people.
Jeffrey
Guest
As bad as the media have been, the worst culprits in this whole affair were the couple who couldn't mind their own business and went to the press. Pathetic pieces of ....
Council
Guest
Totally agree, the timing of this but the DM was no doubt to stir up before the Test. And a TV show in NZ has an interview airing soon (tonight?) that they have been sitting on for a while with the lady involved. I dare say that the AB changing room will feel aggrieved by the timing and release of this and will feel they have something to prove. If I was the Wallabies, I think it would be a nice touch and show of solidarity to have someone contact AS before the game and say they got his back
cuw
Guest
i thought there was a legal case against him , becoz of the public utility and all that. tbh , living far away from those parts i have not much info on such things. if no public case then i donot think NZ union will revisit their internal case. but it will be interesting to find out how these messages were obtained and what action if any people will take. i dont know how privacy laws operate in most places ..... the case in england was against a paper owned by Rupert Murdoch. i think the paper was closed down after the legal case. it is on wiki - "news of the world "
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Hi cuw I started to read to the FB-messages the AS allegedly has sent, but I stopped reading almost right away. Felt way to personal and reminded me way too much of my own rather poor cover ups when I have walked on the wrong/wild side. I don't mind reading extensive details about everything if it regarding a serious crime, but this is far far away from a crime. And NZ Law is of no interest because AS has not done anything illegal, but still, he has been forced to walk a very public walk of shame once, and now he has to walk it again.
Kohatu
Guest
I forgot to mention... I hope Aaron Smith plays a blinder and... Go The Mighty... ALL BLACKS...