An apology from former All Black Andy Haden over "darkie" comments has ensured he will remain in his role as rugby World Cup 2011 ambassador, but it hasn't placated the head of the Canterbury Rugby Union (CRU).Haden sparked a backlash by suggest
An apology from former All Black Andy Haden over "darkie" comments has ensured he will remain in his role as rugby World Cup 2011 ambassador, but it hasn't placated the head of the Canterbury Rugby Union (CRU).
Haden sparked a backlash by suggesting last week on Sky TV's Deaker on Sport programme that the Crusaders rugby franchise had race-based selection policies which involved recruiting only three "darkies".
Haden yesterday repeated an offer of apology to anyone who was offended by the comments.
Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully said he had spent time with Haden and accepted the apology, but admitted such a comment was "unhelpful".
He said he was only concerned about the darkie comment and was not prepared to wade into the debate about whether or not Canterbury used race-based selection policies.
CRU chief executive Hamish Riach said he was appalled at the suggestion race was taken into account when players were selected and Haden was not fit to be a rugby ambassador.
He told Radio New Zealand this morning the union would review Haden's apology to try to assess what part of his initial comments it referred to.
"Because he has actually said a lot of things -- not the least of which is having originally claimed we had a written policy cast in stone -- he actually now says it's not written down."
Riach said given changes to his claims and that he has made "some sort of general apology", the union needed to assess what it meant.
However, he said he was not pleased that Haden would retain his role as ambassador, but "I guess at the end of the day if the minister is happy then that's the end of it".
Asked about allegations that Riach had been heard discussing the merits of Pacific island players at a Ranfurly Shield match, he said that was nonsense and "outrageous".
Haden is one of six former All Blacks appointed as ambassadors for the World Cup and Mr McCully said while they would be under increased scrutiny and needed to be cautious about their behaviour, they were not diplomats.
"If we were to take out everyone who made a mistake and shoot them we'd sooner or later run out of people to do things in this country. We just have to accept that a mistake was made, it's been addressed by Mr Haden and I'm satisfied to leave it there," he said.
The work Haden had done to date in his role, which involves connecting business and tourism investment programmes with relevant people, was pleasing.
