‘My head was spinning’ – Jordie Barrett reveals nervy All Blacks call after being kicked out the MCG
Jordie Barrett and an inset of him getting kicked out of the MCG in 2019. (via Fox Sports)
Jordie Barrett has addressed being kicked out of the Melbourne Cricket Ground after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
It’s been seven years since the All Blacks star was pictured being ushered out of the iconic cricket stadium by security after alleged behavioural issues during the Boxing Day Test match between Australia and New Zealand.
He was subsequently handed a 24-hour ban from the venue, with the incident making headlines around the world. Barrett faced no further punishment for what occurred while enjoying his off-season after the 2019 Rugby World Cup and has revisited the incident in a recent podcast appearance.
Jordie Barrett ushered out of the MCG
The 29-year-old insists that he did nothing wrong and didn’t fight the stadium security as he was wary of the potential consequences.
“I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time,” Barrett told the KOKO show when the topic of the incident arose.
“We went to Australia for Falls Festival, and that obviously aligned with the Boxing Day Test, Black Caps versus Australia. Falls Festival got called off because of all the bushfires at the time. So, we got an apartment in Melbourne somewhere.
“So we were locked in for the cricket for five days, and then we would just be going to bars and whatnot in between. Anyway, I think it was day two of the Boxing Day Test, and we were just sitting in the sun.
“There was a big New Zealand contingent, and everyone was chanting. I sat down where there were a few of the other Kiwis, who recognised me after half an hour, but for the most part, they were just chanting ‘One, one’ at most people within the vicinity who had a full beer.
“They recognised me, and I was just literally sitting there with my feet over the seat in front of me. I finished the rest of my drink, put the cup down, and then my mates were going to go get a few more beers, and I just got a tap on the shoulder from one of the security guards, and he just wheeled me out of the place.”
All Blacks manager call
Witnesses of the incident corroborated Barrett’s story at the time, stating that he polished off the remaining half of his drink before the security removed him from the ground.
“So you were seated and finished your beer, and they still kicked you out?” former Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell asked.
“Yes. I still got a video of it,” Barrett replied with Matt Giteau adding, “What was their reasoning?”
Barrett reached into his pocket as he replied: “I’ve still got the notice here in my wallet. It is a direction to leave order Major Sporting Events Act 2019. It doesn’t actually say the reason why.”
Unsurprisingly, the All Blacks star had to explain himself to his employers once the incident started to hit the media outlets, with Barrett revealing the nervy call he had with the team’s manager.
“I left with one of my mates, and then all the other boys were like, ‘Well, they’ve gone, we better go too’,” he explained.
“So, we caught the train, got back to our apartment, and then an hour later, I got a call from our All Blacks team manager saying, ‘Oh, we’ve just been told that you’ve been arrested at the cricket for drunk and disorderly behaviour.’ And at that stage, my head was spinning.
“I just didn’t know what to do or where to go.”
The whole ordeal did not stop him from returning to catch the remainder of the cricket, though. “I got a 24-hour ban, and then we went back to the cricket two days later,” he laughed.
