Rugby World Cup: Claims food-poisoned final All Blacks brought illness on themselves

The spectre of the food-poisoning incident that felled the 1995 All Blacks – including historical allegations a betting syndicate was behind the illness – has again been raised as Ian Foster’s embattled team chases World Cup glory in France.

And the boss of the South African Rugby Football Union at the time of the tournament has claimed the sickened All Blacks – who lost the final 15-12 to the Springboks in Johannesburg – were the creators of their own downfall.

Over the past 28 years, a variety of theories have been aired about the origin of the illness that swept through the team camp.

Coach Laurie Mains is adamant it was deliberate, saying the act could have been carried out by a waitress called Suzie.

The variety of items that could have been contaminated include burgers, chilli sauce and even pots of tea.

Those who back the deliberate poisoning – which struck 48 hours before the final - have suggested it was an act orchestrated by bookies who stood to lose big if the All Blacks won the tournament on South African soil.

The side’s late manager, All Black legend Sir Colin Meads, however, believed the source of the illness was down to All Blacks drinking milk which could have been left out in the sun.

He added that the only members of the World Cup squad who didn’t get sick were those who snuck out of the team hotel and ate KFC, instead of eating the offerings served up at their base.

The All Blacks console one another after the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. Photo / Geoff Dale

But in the new book, Around the World in 80 Minutes, written by acclaimed English rugby journalist Robert Kitson, the boss of the South African Rugby Union at the time of the World Cup says he believed the choice of diet by many of the All Blacks was to blame for the illness.

“My view on it would be they ate seafood in the week before a World Cup final, which was probably not the brightest thing to have done,” Edward Griffiths said.

Sixteen of the 21-strong match-day squad for the final were still suffering from food poisoning on the day of the Rugby World Cup final.

In Around the World in 80 Minutes, the captain of that 1995 team, Sean Fitzpatrick, also talked to Kitson about the battles he had to overcome to make it to that year’s tournament.

That included the legendary Auckland and Blues hooker – who played 92 tests between 1986-97, before a knee injury ended his career – being labelled a “fat bastard” by his wife Bronwyn in the aftermath of the 1991 tournament.

The result in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final was ecstasy for the Springboks and agony for the All Blacks.

Another blunt conversation followed with Mains when he took over as coach shortly afterwards.

Fitzpatrick, in reply to a question from the new coach if he wanted to remain in the All Blacks, told Mains: “I’d love to”.

But in a terse response, Mains told him: “Well, you’re probably not going to be.

“Because at the moment you’re fat, lazy and arrogant. You’re taking your position for granted and you’ve lost respect for the All Black jersey.”

It was a tune-up that worked.

While fellow experienced teammates Gary and Alan Whetton were amongst those culled by Mains, Fitzpatrick remained in the team and was promoted to captain.

“Laurie was the one who changed things and pushed the idea that great people make great teams,” Fitzpatrick said.

“He sacrificed some great talent. Some of the best All Blacks I ever played with were thrown out.”

Fitzpatrick said the All Blacks of his era also “sacrificed everything” to both reach and stay at the top.

Sean Fitzpatrick captained the All Blacks at the 1995 Rugby World after a verbal tune-up from both his wife and then coach Laurie Mains. Photo / NZPA Ross Setford

“When I speak to companies now, I say there are two ingredients to success. The first is preparation. The best-prepared people will win,” he said in Around the World in 80 Minutes.

And the second ingredient? Sacrifice. When I was playing for the All Blacks it was the most important thing in my life.”

Fitzpatrick also spoke of how much being part of the 1987 team that won the first Rugby World Cup meant to him.

Four years later he was part of the side which finished third in the UK.

Fitzpatrick said it was a side that partly failed because it was believing its own hype.

“We’d talk about needing to be arrogant to be successful but leaving it on the field,” he confided to Kitson.

“By that stage, though, we’d taken it off the field. We never analysed the opposition, we never analysed our own performance.

“We’d win three games and think, ‘We’re much better than them’.”

Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience, including covering the 2003, 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cup tournaments.