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More than two dozen wives and girlfriends (Wags) of All Blacks are heading to France, the country of love, for the Rugby World Cup - but they're not allowed in the players' bedrooms.
As debate rages over whether sex before the big match is helpful, senior All Black team members have banned the women from sharing the same hotel floors, to ensure the players are focused on winning the Cup.
"Players are happy to have wives and partners there (in the same hotel), but ... they don't want any of the girls staying with the players on their floor," said All Blacks manager Darren Shand. All Blacks who did want to sleep with their partners the night before a game could be accommodated.
"It's up to each individual. It's their decision - all the players have their own preparation plan and routine that they follow to get themselves in the best mental state to play, and we help them with those plans. They really just have to make the decision with their partner as to what works best for both of them really.
"We certainly don't make an effort to completely segregate them - and sporting history tells you that teams that play at home generally win, so the more you can create a home environment then hopefully that creates a better performance. There's not much point bringing them along if they can't get to see their husbands or fiances or whoever, so there's definitely considerable thought given to making the trips worthwhile."
A partners' programme had been introduced in an effort to make the touring environment more family-friendly for them and children.
Those planning a French sojourn include former Fair Go reporter Natalie Crook (Carl Hayman's fiancee), Emma Bainbridge (the model partner of new All Black Andrew Ellis), and Monique Everand (Doug Howlett's wife). Nicky Watson (a rumoured recent girlfriend of Ali Williams) is understood to be staying in Provence in a villa owned by former hubby Eric Watson.
Several Wags have opted to travel with the main group, while others have booked villas close to Marseilles.
Casey Green, the on-again, off-again girlfriend of lock Ali Williams, left for Europe last weekend and will follow some of the tour. Pressed on the protocol surrounding hotel rooms, Green said team management had "never sat us down and said 'these are the rules'."
Most players concentrated on getting into "the zone" the night before a game, and all the wives and girlfriends respected that, she said. "We've got no issues with it. We respect what works for them... and we definitely don't want to be labelled as distractions." The issue of whether Wags should be allowed on tours has been the subject of much debate, gaining momentum during last year's soccer World Cup, when a 19-strong group of England players' partners, including Victoria Beckham, swept into Germany amid a whirlwind of publicity.
Critics claim the distraction caused by cricket Wags cost England the Ashes - at one point the entourage accompanying the 16 players swelled to 90 - and was a factor in Australia's loss the previous year. Both the Australian and New Zealand cricket teams at this year's World Cup in Jamaica banned their partners after the group phase for similar reasons.
