Blues

golden_statenba says...

Shocking

Unfortunately racism is every. Where ever you have ignorant small minded people you will have this problem.

And we all know to well it is a big problem in New Zealand Australia and South Africa.

Posted 17:55 13th April 2012

D4tress says...

Meh. This has nothing to do with NZ or rugby. The world is chock full of morons who use racism as their go-to commentary.

It's just proverty and lack of education. You see the same in all countries and regions, committed by all ethnicities and religions. These despicable comments are just the scummy side of human nature.

On the Blues themselves, I'd be more worried about Mealamu making comments about Weepu in the press. That sort of nonsense is not going to help team morale; any comments he felt he had to make should have been made on the training pitch.

As for Pat Lam? He's a professional and he'll get over both the comments and the slump. He's a class coach and a classy guy.

Posted 09:20 12th April 2012

Ramage says...

I don't understand why people on here are expressing surprise that there is racism in NZ unless it is a snide reference. However I take it that they are surprised. Be not surprised racism abounds in NZ as in every country, it has even been enshrined in the laws of many countries including our own. You won't rid those people of their views as unfortunately it is ingrained. All of us must work hard to see that racism in rugby does not gain any further foothold in our own countries and lets tell these people at every opportunity we don't appreciate the snide innuendos or blatant statements every time they raise their ugly head. Interesting that it is coming from posts on social media. Remember the most dangerous people in this whole debate are the people that do not recognise that they are racists.

@bokavenger you may laugh and joke about racism but it is a blight on our societies. A cheap shot you obviously think is funny.Racism is no laughing matter.

justice_4_all Im sorry to say that despite the views held my many overseas that NZ has good race relations, its sad to say we too have our share of racists and are no better than any other country. Fortunately over the years we have had some outstanding leaders and citizens who have broken down many of the barriers to good race relations. I well remember in a discussion/argument a number of years ago I was told "well you are a pa man anyway." Meaning a pakeha who was somewhat Maori. It was meant as an insult I took it as compliment.

Pat Lam can be criticised as a coach but his ethnic background is not the reason and should play no part in any argument about his ability.

Posted 03:42 12th April 2012

mew2000 says...

BokAvenger:What the hell is blackadder got too do with racist comments? Toddy was complainig about allegations which smeared the crusaders team for which no evidence or complaints were followed through after the game.... Strange that they allege eye-goughing but do absolutely nothing after the game for which if it happend you would be putting in an official complaint!!!

As for the attack on lam being a pacific islander and those racists comments that is just petty and stupid... Unfortunately todays cowards use the internet or twitter for hiding who they are with baseless smears and hate speech.. No matter what country or city/town there will be red necks who hate everyone who is a different skin colour than them!

Posted 21:36 11th April 2012

KiwiLad says...

Bokavenger, Sadly racism exists in NZ, You are correct, there exists in small pockets a Skinhead element, also a small number of Maori would like leadership of this country themselves, with the balance of us fleeing into the sea.

But show me a multiracial society where there are not a couple of extremists trying to rally the masses.

If the Lam family has suffered racist abuse, It is a sad day indeed, but I doubt it would be on a grand scale at all.

I personally could not have whiter skin, yet the hair on the back of my neck stands up with pride when the ABs do a haka, Find some racism in that???

Posted 20:11 11th April 2012

BokAvenger says...

@Wallaroo: fair enough mate. I think Todd Blackadder normally comes across as a top bloke but I didn't appreciate him claiming that Chilliboy and Flip vd Merwe made up the claims that they were gouged - especially when Flip was walking around with a bleeding eye socket. And Chili is a helluva decent guy too who just wouldn't make something like that up. Anyone who has played rugby knows that a lot can happen at the bottom of a ruck where no camera is going to pick things up.

But back to the issue at hand. I agree that it's disgraceful that people are using ethnicity to explain poor performance. That has no place on a rugby field, particularly when one considers the enormously positive impact that players of Pacific Island heritage have had on the game of rugby in many, many countries.

Posted 17:38 11th April 2012

howrtings says...

This needs to be sorted immediately. These idiots hiding behind a computer screen need to be found and made an example of.

A footballer in the English Premiership collapsed on the pitch, and some idiot started posting racist messages on Twitter about him - he was locked up and kicked out of his University - we need to do the same with these cowards....

To Pat Lam - you were an amazing player, a credit to the game and your family and will come out of this slump all the better...

Posted 15:00 11th April 2012