The All Blacks did New Zealand proud on Saturday night but some of their supporters in Melbourne were drunk, aggressive and obnoxious. Photo / Getty Images
The All Blacks did New Zealand proud on Saturday night but some of their supporters in Melbourne were drunk, aggressive and obnoxious. Photo / Getty Images
New Zealand Cricket boss Justin Vaughan has denounced the behaviour of drunk All Black fans at last weekend's Bledisloe Cup test, saying their antics spoiled the occasion and were symptomatic of wider alcohol problems.
Vaughan was dismayed by a section of New Zealanders at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium who hurled abuseat Wallaby fans throughout the match.
In an opinion piece in today's Herald, Vaughan says he "was embarrassed to be a New Zealander at the ground on Saturday night, surrounded as I was by a good number of drunk, aggressive, and obnoxious All Black supporters".
Last night, Vaughan said he felt compelled to write the piece because a good game had been overshadowed by unpleasant behaviour.
"I came back feeling that this was not an isolated rugby issue, it's an issue we have to face as a society. I wanted to speak out about what my experience was like and raise an issue that needs to be discussed.
"We have big world events coming up with the Rugby World Cup and our own world cup [in 2015]. These events should paint a really great image of our country but I can anticipate circumstances like what I experienced that would paint quite a different picture."
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew agreed that Vaughan had raised valid points, but did not think rugby should be the "centrepiece" of the argument.
"One of the issues we as a country have, and we're not alone, is there is an issue with our teens who are binge-drinking in a way our generation never did."
Tew also pointed to the more insidious influence of drugs such as P, which were not available a generation ago.
As for Vaughan's concerns, he said the problem was not unique to New Zealand fans and that he had encountered similar behaviour wherever he went.
He did not believe more restrictions on the sale of alcohol at grounds would alleviate the problem.
"Frankly, that sort of behaviour is likely to be caused by what they've done in the 24 hours prior to entering the ground," Tew said.
Vaughan said sport now had to play a role in promoting responsible drinking.
"Attitudes towards alcohol, attitudes towards attending sporting games - these are all things we should be reflecting on.
"The ultimate situation would be having a much stronger 'peer review' where the people next to these people tell them to sit down and stop being a dickhead, but that's much easier said than done."
