2006 rugby union handbag controversy

2006 rugby union handbag controversy

On the night of the Super 14 final on 27 May 2006, former All Black captain Tana Umaga allegedly struck Hurricanes team mate Chris Masoe over the head with a woman's handbag, owned by a patron of the Jolly Poacher tavern, Christchurch, New Zealand, breaking her cell phone, after Masoe allegedly attempted to strike another patron.

Masoe was fined $3000 by the NZRU as punishment.The CCTV footage of the incident was eventually shown on NZ television news, where it transpired that event had been blown out of proportion. Umaga briefly tapped Masoe on the side of the face amongst general hilarity; the media focus on the event naturally exaggerated what were clearly light-hearted drunken antics.

The Seven Network TV channel in Australia later aired a promotional advertisement showing the All Blacks performing the haka, with the video digitally altered to show the players carrying handbags.

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith criticised the advertisement, saying "It is insensitive, I think, to Māori and disrespectful of the All Blacks". [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=rugbyNews&storyID=2006-07-06T065655Z_01_SYD135909_RTRIDST_0_ODD-AUSTRALIA-HANDBAG.XML]

The incident featured on Keith Olbermann's nightly "Worst Person in the World" award, coming in third with a rank of "worse": "The Bronze to the Australian television channel, network Seven, promoting its coverage of Saturday's rugby match between its hometown nation Aussies and New Zealand by altering the video of the New Zealand players so it looks like they are all carrying women's handbags. That's sportsmanship."

The handbag was auctioned on the New Zealand internet auction site Trade Me, and fetched NZ$22,800. The auction was interrupted several times by frivolous bids. [http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Sports-memorabilia/Rugby/Other/auction-58555525.htm (Auction)]

ee also

*2006 Kapa O Pango controversy

External links

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2260711,00.html Handbag haka was foul play, say heavyweights of rugby]
* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=331&objectid=10384153 Players say sorry over handbag incident]
* [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=rugbyNews&storyID=2006-07-06T065655Z_01_SYD135909_RTRIDST_0_ODD-AUSTRALIA-HANDBAG.XML New Zealand rugby up in arms over handbag jibe]
* [http://mediamatters.org/items/200607070014 Olbermann on "Worst Person"]
*youtube|JL9ThdmZkFs|Handbag Haka


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