'Stupid' Barrett escapes sanction
REACTION: All Black utility back Jordie Barrett was called ‘stupid’ for his misdemeanour in a late-night outing, but he escaped any serious sanction.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen on Sunday labelled Barrett “stupid” over an early morning mix-up, which resulted in police being called after the player went out on the town.
Barrett, 21, went drinking with a friend in Dunedin, after his Hurricanes team lost to the Highlanders last Friday, and entered a house at 5am [05.00] Saturday morning, looking for a party.
However, they had the wrong address and the two women who lived there called police when they found Barrett and his friend in their lounge eating fast food.
Police accepted the pair made a genuine mistake in entering what they thought was a friend’s house and let them off with a warning.
Barrett confirmed details of the incident, but insisted he was not drunk.
“Basically it was a human error, walked into the wrong flat and we left. [I] can recall everything that happened that night and I was not intoxicated,” he told reporters.
- Article continues below video!
Hansen accepted Barrett’s version of events but was unimpressed one of his players was out drinking until the early hours and eating burgers just days before the start of the Test series against France.
“He hasn’t been very professional in his preparation for a Test match, we’ll have a chat about that,” the coach told Radio Sport.
Hansen said Barrett would not face punishment over the incident, which he called “an honest mistake”.
“He won’t get reprimanded for anything other than being stupid,” he said.
“What we want him to be able to learn from this is ‘how can I do things differently next time and make better choices?’.”
The first of three Tests against France will be played in Auckland on Saturday, June 9.
AFP
