Crucifixion if he was a league player

[ozbash]

Former All Black Stephen Bachop has changed his pleas to guilty on four charges relating to an incident on Rugby World Cup final night last year.
In Wellington District Court today a charge of assaulting a female was reduced in seriousness and became a charge of simple assault.
Bachop, 46, pleaded guilty to the reduced charge and another assault charge relating to a man. He also pleaded guilty to resisting police and possessing cannabis. A charge of having utensils for using drugs was dropped.
Judge Susan Thomas did not enter convictions and it is expected that Bachop will ask to be discharged without conviction when he appears for sentencing later this month. He had originally pleaded not guilty.
In a statement issued afterwards he said he had learned a lot while facing up to the consequences of his actions.
He apologised for any embarrassment he had caused his family and fellow players.
"I have changed my pleas today in order to bring this matter to a close.
"Right from the day this happened mine and my partner Belle's focus has been on our children and what is best for them.
"The stress our whole family has been under awaiting the final outcome has been immense and we did not want to drag this out for any longer than was necessary."
He said they wanted to put the matter behind them and move forward positively.
No summary of facts was read to the court today but it had been alleged earlier that Bachop had taken his partner's arm and pulled her towards a taxi to go home. A passerby was also involved in the incident.
The incident was caught on CCTV cameras outside Wellington central police station after a World Cup Final celebration.
Bachop had been commentating at the nearby Green Man pub during the game.
Bachop's name had originally been suppressed in relation to the charges but he did not ask for that to continue. He said identifying himself would prevent any negative impact on other former All Blacks.
Bachop played for New Zealand Colts when he was a teenager and for Western Samoa in the 1991 World Cup. He made his All Blacks debut in 1992 and played a further 17 matches for the team.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6945748/Stephen-Bachop-admits-assault-drug-charges

 

[vvvrulz]

I've read that there have been a number of former All Blacks who have been granted permanent name suppression to avoid defamation of themselves and the sport.

Rugby League players as you say ozzie have no such luxury.

Incidents like this and Zac Guilford in Rarotonga etc. seem to be quickly forgotten without a lot of consequence, but in league nobody seems to forget the Todd Carney's and the Brett Stewart's.

 

[ozbash]

Yea, double standards suck..

 

[Warrior@Heart]

I don't think it's entirely because RU receives special treatment I think that the NRL & the NZRL in some instances don't put in enough hard work behind closed doors to keep RL misdemeanors under wraps. They should be doing more to protect the image of the sport.

 

[_addict]

I don't think it's entirely because RU receives special treatment I think that the NRL & the NZRL in some instances don't put in enough hard work behind closed doors to keep RL misdemeanors under wraps. They should be doing more to protect the image of the sport.

Huh?

Surely you don't mean they should protect the image by trying to keep misdemeanours under wraps? Haven't various Catholic bishops been rightly berated for doing similar? Okay so the RL authorities aren't supposed guardians of morality, but I really don't think we should be hiding cretans and law-breakers from public report.

 

[Micistm]

Lol, yeah, had it been a Leaguey there would have been those patronising eye rolls from news presenters going on about those League boys again...
I heard little of this case which says it all really...

 

[Warrior@Heart]

Huh?

Surely you don't mean they should protect the image by trying to keep misdemeanours under wraps? Haven't various Catholic bishops been rightly berated for doing similar? Okay so the RL authorities aren't supposed guardians of morality, but I really don't think we should be hiding cretans and law-breakers from public report.

I don't think they should be hiding law breakers just think there should be name suppression until the player is found guilty and then release statements before it gets out to the general public instead of taking a backseat and watching the papers rip apart innocent players ala Brett Stewart. If the player is found guilty in the court of law however he deserves whatever negative spin the journos throw at him.

 

[Micistm]

I've read that there have been a number of former All Blacks who have been granted permanent name suppression to avoid defamation of themselves and the sport.

Rugby League players as you say ozzie have no such luxury.

Incidents like this and Zac Guilford in Rarotonga etc. seem to be quickly forgotten without a lot of consequence, but in league nobody seems to forget the Todd Carney's and the Brett Stewart's.

Case in point. Stewart was found not guilty. Yet is still branded as one of 'those' players. Mud sticks.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Don't get me started on Stewart's treatment

 

[ozenzud]

I've noted that when an All Black/former all black gets done for something, there is almost a hushed, "how can this be?" You end up with a full apology being sought from the victims family.

But when its league TV 1 in particular, are so blatantly biased I have stopped watching their news. I'll never forget before one of the test matches a year or two back, they decided to bring up the Metcalf incident. No good reason, just threw it in there.

Whenever a league incident occurs, they list off any others they can think of.

When its AB's, they treat it like an isolated incident. Its an individual, a lone rogue. But league, its endemic, inherent qualities of the sport and the people that play it. Jeez I spew sometimes.

Of course, league IS at fault. I'm pretty sure that if a journalist is hostile to the NZRU, they loose access to the coaches and so on. Aussie rules do more or less the same thing. Print something bad, get blackbanned.