Thursday 9 February 2017 07:38, UK
Australia's media is demanding an apology from New Zealand after a Kiwi was charged with bugging the All Blacks.
Adrian Gard, a 51-year-old who had been employed by New Zealand Rugby on previous trips to Australia over a decade, will face court on March 21 after being charged with public nuisance following a six-month police investigation.
Gard, who has worked with the New Zealanders for several years, has denied any involvement.
"I don't know anything about this stupid bloody bug," he told the Sydney Daily Telegraph. "The bug was news to me. I literally had no idea about it until I was told about it.
"I'm really annoyed about the whole thing to tell you the truth. I'm just going to ride the next few months out, the truth will come out in the end.
"People who work with me can vouch for my reputation," he added.
The probe followed the discovery of a listening device hidden in the foam of a chair in a meeting room at a downtown hotel in Sydney that the Kiwis were using.
The scandal only came to light five days later when New Zealand team management notified New South Wales state police on the morning of the second Bledisloe Cup match, which the All Blacks won 42-8.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says he is not expecting to get an apology from the New Zealand Rugby Union.
"An apology to us? No, I'm not expecting anything like that, I don't think that's necessary," Cheika said.
New Zealand Rugby "made their call," he added, "and now that's all there is to it. I knew one thing was definite, obviously the inferences that we were involved. I know that was ridiculous."
Any inference that the Wallabies could have been responsible upset the Australian Rugby Union, which had denied any involvement.
"It's not nice, to have to answer questions from police and stuff like that about something you've got absolutely nothing to do with," Cheika said.
"I'll be interested to see what happens next, but it's nothing that's going to stick in my mind for too long."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen earlier described the police charges as "bizarre and unbelievable" in a statement released by New Zealand Rugby.
Hansen said the man who was charged worked for the All Blacks and "is someone who is trusted and well respected by us."
"However, as with all cases before the courts, there has to be a due process...and it is not right or proper for us to make any further comment as this could jeopardize the outcome of the case."
Australia's media wasted little time in demanding an apology from the Kiwis.
"Probably now would be a good time to say sorry, New Zealand," Wally Mason, sports editor of The Australian newspaper wrote in an editorial.
"So rather than the Wallabies cheating by attempting to bug the All Blacks, the Kiwis got an unfair advantage by unsettling the Australians.
"Your apology will be gratefully accepted, New Zealand."
