Angry fans squeeze into tent for All Black autographs

The All Blacks public training yesterday turned into a congested autograph-signing session that packed hundreds of angry and frustrated fans into a small marquee.

The public queued outside the tent at Western Springs Stadium and many failed to even see the players before they left at 3.50pm, 40 minutes before the advertised closing time.

All Blacks manager Darren Shand admitted the situation was not ideal.

"It was a last-minute decision to be inside and it was not set up as well as we could have done, young kids getting pushed and poked and pulled," he said. "The space wasn't big enough. We certainly weren't expecting a crowd of that size, and trying to congest them into a small area was hard to manage."

He said a few frustrated members of the public said a few words to him at the time.

"I really felt for the kids, it was difficult for them to have a pleasant experience."

Hillsborough resident Treza Gallogly, who took her 10-year-old son Emmett to the session, said it was shoddily organised and unsafe.

"My son disappeared into the tent. It was a really bad situation and I couldn't even get in to get him.

"Apparently there was a lot of pushing, and [Emmett] said he was really scared."

She said the queue barely moved and, despite Emmett getting six autographs, the event was a shambles.

 

Mr Shand said the players normally play a recovery game where the public can be up close to a number of players.

"But with the inclement weather forecast, and the guys had come off an extremely physical contest, we decided the best recovery action was in the pool."

The players signed autographs for 30 minutes, five to 10 minutes longer than normal, he said.

"We're back again in late August/September for another [public session], and let's hope the weather's fine and we can put on the public training we normally do."