Magpies' game plans lost with stolen laptop

Ranfurly Shield-holding Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee at the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union offices yesterday with an Apple laptop and external hard drive similar to those stolen. Photo / Warren Buckland

The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union has an urgent plea for the return of a stolen laptop and hard-drive containing some of the key planning and secrets for the Magpies' defences of the Ranfurly Shield next year.

The work tools of assistant coach, former captain and former All Black halfback Danny Lee, plus a digital video camera, were stolen in a burglary of the union's offices in the Chapman Pavilion at McLean Park, Napier, on Wednesday night or early yesterday.

The Ranfurly Shield was safe, said union spokesman Dan Somerville.

It wasn't kept on the premises, he said, adding: "And it won't be after this has happened.".

Staff arrived at work yesterday to find entry had been gained from the playing-field side of the offices, and last night Mr Lee said that despite a public appeal the laptop and hard drive had not been returned.

"I'm not very optimistic," he conceded.

Asked if there were any secret which could be used by shield challengers, he said: "There's lots of rugby stuff. It's full of game plans, previews, reviews, and all sorts of stuff.

"In a coaching and rugby sense it's pretty valuable," he said.

"To 95 per cent of Hawke's Bay it wouldn't mean anything, but to me it's priceless. Lots of stuff I can't replace."

He had saved files to the hard drive, but he had left it in the office connected to the Apple Mac which was stolen.