Former All Black Andy Haden has fuelled the race row in New Zealand with comments on player policy at particular clubs.
Haden (pictured above) claimed that New Zealand clubs Canterbury and the Crusaders have an “enshrined†racially-based squad selection process. The former Auckland player made the comments during a TV show interview.
“Once they’ve recruited three, that’s it. That’s their ceiling. Three darkies, no more,” Haden said.
“In the Crusaders manual, there it is, it’s enshrined in their articles and they’ve stuck by that. And they know damn well that that’s the case. And it’s worked,†he said.
Haden has come in for strong criticism from New Zealand CEO Steve Tew over his views but the outspoken ex-All Black will not sidestep the issue and believes it must be thrashed out.
“No, I don’t regret it. I think it needs debating,” he said,
“Everyone gets very PC about this but the reality is the Crusaders have a different mix from everyone else and there’s got to be a reason for that.”
