By ALAN PERROTT
A group of New Zealand's world-champion netballers were kicked out of a Parnell bar when their behaviour proved too much for other patrons.
The players, members of the Silver Ferns, and their partners were ordered out of the George Restaurant and Bar on Friday night.
Two patrons in the bar
at the time said the players had been drinking at the nightspot before members of their party climbed on to the bar to dance.
The women said the players mentioned they were celebrating receiving their World Cup bonuses, which earlier reports had put at $3500 a player.
A spokeswoman for the George said the players ignored several warnings to stay off the bar and calm down and they were told to leave after their behaviour became "aggravating" for other patrons.
None of the staff recognised any of the group as Silver Ferns, she added.
Netball New Zealand chief executive Shelley McMeeken said the players had been enjoying their first reunion since winning the Netball World Cup.
After a team dinner a group had decided to go out drinking. She described the subsequent incident as a misunderstanding.
Ms McMeeken said some of the players asked for permission from a barman to climb onto the bar, but one of the bar's security staff then got involved when they began dancing.
She said the group left as soon as they were asked.
Such behaviour was not part of their training regime, she said. "So we will not be recommending they do so again ... "
The George is earning a name for ejecting famous sportspeople. All Black and Auckland Blues fullback Mils Muliaina was suspended from rugby for two weeks in August last year after urinating on the floor of the bar, near other patrons.
