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Video: Clarke plays peacemaker in All Blacks street altercation
By Liam Heagney
Footage has emerged online of a Saturday night altercation in Wellington between All Blacks flanker Akira Ioane and legendary scrum-half Justin Marshall. The words that were exchanged between the pair were inaudible due to the sounds of Irish celebrations in the background following their 2-1 Test series victory over New Zealand.
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However, the footage shows a dispute between Ioane and Marshall in which the back row forward – a starter in the 32-22 defeat at Sky Stadium – is held back by people around him while the retired half-back attempts to walk towards him.
Caleb Clarke, another current All Blacks player, stepped in to act as the key peacemaker, telling Marshall, the 48-year-old who now works as a TV pundit, to walk away.
The video is the latest bad look in a messy few days for the All Blacks since their first ever home Test series loss to Ireland and a subsequent NZ Rugby statement admitted that the All Blacks management were informed by team security of the incident caught on camera.
“Our security was managing the group in a separate area at the venue,” it read. “We have contacted venue staff and spoken at length with players and security staff, who recall words being exchanged with another individual as they were leaving. Our security proceeded to escort our players to their transport.
All Black’s sharing a few choice words with Justin Marshall after their loss.
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“Behaving responsibly is one of the core values in our team environment. The group were working to meet their curfew and when faced with a tricky situation, they did what they could to ensure everyone departed safely at the appropriate time.”
Marshall went on the following day to appear on the latest edition of The Breakdown, the Sky NZ rugby programme, where he was critical of what had unfolded during the fourth All Blacks loss in five matches. “Ireland’s method is outstanding,” said Marshall during a guest appearance on the programme along with John Kirwan, Jeff Wilson and Isa Nacewa.
“What they are is very assured of their game. The problem is we are looking at Ireland going why can’t we do that? That is the thing that is making everyone anxious.
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“That’s three test matches the All Blacks haven’t started well so roll up your sleeves and get stuck into the game. Don’t piggyback the opposition into it by kicking them the ball. Be prepared to work out of your own half with ball in hand like Ireland do. It feels to me we are sending these messages out and we are hearing it from the players and the coaches of we need to start better, we need to get into the game.
“But we are gifting the ball back to the opposition and saying well you come at us because we will kick it to you. Box kick, box kick, too afraid to play in our own half, worried about the position on the field rather than getting stuck into your work.”
Marshall talks way too much about knowing what to do. When it was his turn to play...ask him how many big world cup tournaments he won...?? Yeah...exactly...none..!! Some of these old heads seem to have all the answers all the time..!!
Marshall may have been a good player( not great) but is a biased Canterbury one eyed commentator.
I ran across him in Johannesburg ….. best summed up he is a dickhead so you can be assured whilst he was belittling the all blacks it would have his biasness attached
Marshall would have put him in his place. Those Pacific Island boys (especially those Auckland Samoans) from Auckland are all talk, all show, no mana. They think they can beat up those white boys from the South Island but little do they know, they can fight as well. Akira is an over privledged Samoan, big for nothing. Why couldnt he use that anger and rage on the field? I agree with Marshall's criticism of the All Blacks, some players shouldnt be there and that includes Akira. Would have had Tom Robinson, Shannon Frizzell or Cullen Grace in his place, but due to the wokeness of the All Blacks, winning a test series is less important than their politics.
Akira and Marshall are both lippy, but it reflects the disarray of the All Blacks and NZRU. Marshall is 100% right about All Blacks needing to play their style because it is so poor, shocking, and foreign that it does not represent the past 100 years of All Black rugby which goes back to Foster with his inability to innovate, improve and inspire our All Black players.
So mouthy ex halfback becomes THAT person on the street. So much an ,all about me, guy he would derail one of the guys who do take the ball up., carreers on the line. Always the mouthy little man aye Marsha
agree with Marshall...things have got really bad if the ABs are reacting like this to obviously correct criticism...a siege mentality has developed...
Stuff happens when things aren't going right...wowsah!?