This
sure reads like a joke, but with rugby who can tell? - Wes
All
Black cries after handbag attack
A
New Zealand rugby player burst into tears when his captain hit him with a
woman's handbag in an early morning incident in a Christchurch bar, news
reports said today. The
pair were then thrown out by a female bouncer. New
Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, are the country's most macho
heroes and the story of Sunday morning's clash between Chris Masoe and captain
Tana Umaga stunned fans. Both
were still drowning their sorrows at The Jolly Poacher tavern in the early
morning hours after their Wellington Hurricanes team lost the Super 14 rugby
final to the Christchurch Crusaders the previous evening. Reports
said Masoe punched another drinker after tripping over his leg. Umaga
then picked up a woman's handbag and hit Masoe on the head with enough force to
smash a mobile phone inside the bag. "When
that happened, Masoe burst into tears and created a bit of a scene at the
bar," a witness said. The
players "left without too much trouble" when a woman bouncer intervened,
The Press reported, quoting an onlooker. The
22-year-old owner of the handbag told the paper: "I mean a handbag, of all
things.” "How
hilarious ... he hit him pretty hard. We heard it across the bar. He cracked
him up the side of the head twice." And more… May 29 2006: NEW
Zealand rugby officials are investigating allegations that Hurricanes and All
Blacks forward Chris Masoe punched a patron in a bar before being hit by
teammate and former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, who was armed with a woman's
handbag. The
brawl erupted at 7am yesterday morning after the Hurricanes had spent the night
commiserating following their 19-12 Super 14 final loss to the Crusaders. A
24-year-old Christchurch man, who did not want to be identified, told The
Press that he was in a bar where Masoe, who had been drinking and playing
pool, tripped over his feet. Masoe
then turned and punched the man in the jaw, the patron alleged. "He
just hit me in the side of the jaw," the man said. "Masoe
started crying. It was crazy." The 22-year-old woman who owned the handbag
said she couldn't believe what happened. "I
mean a handbag, of all things," she told The Press. "How
hilarious... he hit him pretty hard. We heard it crack across the bar. He
cracked him up the side of the head twice. "The
Chris guy got quite upset and started crying. They got them out the back door
of the bar." Hurricanes
public relations manager Greg Palmer issued a statement saying team management
had been advised about an incident involving Masoe and Umaga in a Christchurch
bar. And
even more… June 5 2006: Former New Zealand
rugby captain Tana Umaga has been honoured by the Queen, a week after he
reduced a team mate to tears by hitting him around the head with a handbag. Umaga, who announced his
retirement from the All Blacks in January, was made an Officer of the New
Zealand Order of Merit today for his services to rugby in his country's annual
Queen's Birthday Honours. Umaga said he and his family
were very proud of the honour. "It's come as a bit of a
shock... it's put a smile on my face," Umaga was reported saying in the
Dominion Post newspaper. Umaga was in the news the week
before for striking Wellington Hurricanes team mate Chris Masoe with a woman's
handbag in a Christchurch bar early on Sunday morning after Masoe had punched a
man. Masoe was reportedly in tears afterwards. Owner Nicole Davies cashed in on
the fame of her handbag, selling it in an Internet auction at the weekend for
$NZ22,800 ($A19,200). Umaga played 74 Tests for the
All Blacks, including 21 as captain, and still plays for the Hurricanes in the
Super 14 competition.
Masoe, one of the 'Devil's Henchmen', the Hurricanes' trio of loose forwards,
was reported to have burst out crying when Umaga hit him.
