NZ Rugby has apologised for a social media post sent out by the All Blacks to mark International Women’s Day, after criticism for the inclusion of two players with problematic pasts.
The All Blacks Tweet was sent out to celebrate IWD but included images of Sevu Reece and Aaron Smith, two stars who with controversial pasts in their relationships with women.
Fans condemned the use of the pair. Reece admitted assaulting his partner while drunk on a street in 2018 – he was later discharged without conviction when a judge ruled there were mitigating factors in the case.
Smith was kicked out of All Blacks camp in 2016 after he was caught having sex at a toilet in Christchurch aiprot.
He married last year.
“‘Sevu Reece beat his girlfriend in the street, let’s use him on our International Women’s Day post. Oh, and make sure you don’t mention the Black Ferns at all’ – All Blacks social media team this morning.” wrote an All Blacks fan in response to the tweet.
“NZR and our Teams in Black celebrated International Women’s Day across all of our digital channels and our intent was to portray the many roles women have in our game,” an NZR spokesperson said in a statement to the NZ Herald..
“We didn’t get it right and we apologise – our entire rugby whānau are so proud of our Black Ferns and all our wāhine, in everything that they do on and off the pitch.”