A bad week for the Chiefs is set to continue as official investigations have begun surrounding several incidents at a post-season get together.
A senior All Black may have been involved in an incident at a Waikato hot pool this past Monday. The incident involves a group of players who are accused of inappropriately touching a stripper.
The woman, who chose to be named only as Scarlette, said that several players were “beyond drunk” at the event. Chiefs management were also at the event but claim to have left before the incident occurred.
The performer claims she was sworn at, licked, and touched inappropriately by players during a strip performance. One player is accused of going through the woman’s phone. The woman also claims that she was shortchanged.
Stripper Claims Inappropriate Conduct By Chiefs Players
At the same event, another player was chanting homophobic slurs towards teammates. That player was young lock Michael Allardice. The 24-year old said in a statement that he had apologized to witnesses.
Chiefs Rugby CEO Andrew Flexman fronted the media this afternoon in what turned out to be a brief media conference. Flexman said that the Chiefs do not condone the actions of hiring a stripper and that an investigation would begin today.
We are taking these allegations seriously and we are very disappointed in the actions of our players in engaging the services of a female performer. If any of these allegations are substantiated, we will be taking the appropriate actions given the seriousness of the situation.
Under hot water for comments made to the media yesterday, Flexman says he doesn’t believe the context in which he made the comments were properly represented by media outlets.
We don’t know anything yet, there is varying versions of events and I don’t know who is involved.
Cutting the Interview Short
When asked if the players involved in the incident were All Blacks, Flexman quickly departed. An investigation has begun this afternoon, and the consequences for the players involved could be career-ending.
Understandably, Flexman nor anyone else at the Chiefs can comment on the incident until the investigation is complete. But, if speculation is indeed true, the players involved have been around as a professional rugby player long enough to know better.
Bad Week For Chiefs Set To Continue
“Mad Mondays” are a regular in rugby union circles, an incidents like this have occurred in the past. Following Flexman’s media conference, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen weighed in on the incident. Hansen says such events should be ‘kicked into touch’, claiming this weeks incident isn’t good for the Chiefs, or indeed for New Zealand Rugby.
Rest assured, there is still a lot more to come out of this horror week at Chiefs HQ.
A general view of Waikato Stadium before the round seven Super Rugby match between the Chiefs and the Blues on April 8th, 2016 via Getty Images Sport.
