ZCZC
BSP-05
RUGBYU-NZL-FRA-BASTAREAUD
France captain says has ‘moved on’ from 2009 hotel controversy
WELLINGTON, June 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – French rugby captain Mathieu
Bastareaud is back in Wellington, in the same hotel where he stayed in 2009,
but is not prepared to revisit the controversial events of nearly a decade
ago.
While the hotel has since changed its name, the row Bastareaud caused
during his previous stay, when he falsely claimed to have been assaulted, has
not been forgotten.
After a night out following France’s 14-10 loss to the All Blacks, the
solid, hard-running centre said he was attacked by five men.
The then 20-year-old appeared the next morning with cuts and bruises,
prompting international headlines saying the streets of New Zealand’s capital
were not safe.
The New Zealand Prime Minister at the time, John Key, apologised on behalf
of the nation and radio shows were clogged with callers expressing their
shame.
But the story unravelled when video footage emerged of Bastareaud returning
to the hotel unscathed and he later admitted the injuries were the result of
a drunken fall in his hotel room.
Now older and wiser — and the captain to boot — Bastareaud was unwilling
to relive that night when questioned Friday on the eve of the second Test.
“It was many years ago, for me it is in the past, not for you journalists,
but my life has moved on and I’m in a good place,” he said.
“It was nine years ago. I’ve turned the page, do it as well. I’m here to
talk about the match, not the hotel.”
And talk about the match he did, saying France were prepared to “fight,
sacrifice, work” for the jersey.
“Last week we were unworthy to wear that jersey,” he said of the 52-11
hiding in the first Test.
“We must show pride. Yes, we play the best team in the world but if we
don’t have the desire to challenge them, if we are just here to say ‘it’s the
end of the season’, then it is not possible.”
“We are adults. We must show we are better than the way we played in the
second half last week, where we defended like kids. We must show we are a
team.
“There is a good spirit and we must show it on the field.”
BSS/AFP/RY/13:15 hrs