Adrian Gard is defending the charge - and requested a two-day hearing that would "coincide" with the availability of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and management. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Adrian Gard is defending the charge - and requested a two-day hearing that would "coincide" with the availability of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and management. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen faces a court summons over the 'spygate' saga that has pushed the relationship between the New Zealand and Australia Rugby unions to the brink.
Security consultant Adrian Gard is facing a charge of public mischief after a six-month investigation that began when a listening devicewas found in a room used by the All Blacks in a hotel in August last year.
The sophisticated device was supposedly carefully concealed in a chair - but police will allege Gard planted the bug himself and then "found" it.
New Zealand All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, right, with Adrian Gard from the All Blacks security detail. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Gard, who once protected Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey, appeared in court in Sydney today.
His lawyer Simon Joyner told the Waverley Local Court the Gard would be defending the charge - and requested a two-day hearing that would "coincide" with the availability of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and management.
Joyner said he would be issuing subpoenas before the hearing, which will be held at Sydney's Downing Centre.
The matter will return to court on May 2.
Gard, 51, said nothing when media asked him as he left court who left the listening device for the world champion rugby team, but Joyner insisted he had coperated fully with police.
And he wanted it known the high regard his client had for the world champion All Blacks.
Adrian Gard, who has done work for New Zealand's rugby union team for more than 10 years, arrives at the Waverley Local Court in Sydney. Photo / AP
"He respects the All Blacks and everything they represent," Joyner said.
Gard has been employed by the NZRU on their trips to Australia for the past decade.
The listening device was found in the team's meeting room at the Intercontinental in Double Day last August.
The discovery was revealed on the day of the Bledisloe Cup Test at ANZ Stadium, dominating the build-up ahead of the All Blacks' 42-8 victory.
Hansen has said the saga was bizarre, saying Gard had worked for the All Blacks for a long time and was "trusted and well-respected" by the team.
The All Blacks' management waited five days before reporting the discovery of the bug and held a media conference on the morning of the match, angering the Wallabies team who felt the announcement was ill-timed and had caused an unnecessary distraction.
The All Blacks never accused Australia or the Wallabies of wrongdoing but the incident fuelled a wave of speculation on social media while souring relations between the teams throughout the season.
Adrian Gard, left and his lawyer arrive at the Waverley Local Court. Photo / AP
