Haden fans flames of sex scandal

Andy Haden and Trecha, who says the moneyed All Blacks are attractive to women. Photo / Doug Sherring

Outspoken Andy Haden has reignited the Robin Brooke sex scandal by saying booze-fuelled young women target All Blacks.

Haden, who turns 60 today, said the Brooke incident was an example of today's society.

Speaking candidly for the first time since resigning as a World Cup ambassador over rape comments he made about the Brooke sex scandal and about a "darkies" quota at the Crusaders franchise, Haden said times had changed dramatically since his time as an All Black.

And he was backed by his wife Trecha who said the women at the centre of the Brooke scandal had to face up to their part in it.

"It's all very well for these girls to remain faceless and nameless. They were up for it," she said.

In July, it was revealed Brooke allegedly had sex with a drunk and comatose 18-year-old woman after an All Blacks' test in Christchurch. The woman later complained to All Blacks management and she was paid $1500 to keep quiet.

Haden caused an uproar when he said that it only became rape when the cheque bounced. But he said that comment was taken out of context, and took on a life of its own, stirred up by the media.

Haden said women did target All Blacks in his day but nothing like what happened now.

"There wasn't the drinking culture among young girls.

"In our time as All Blacks, yes there were a lot of women about but they weren't alcohol-fuelled and aggressive like they are today. That's where I think they have turned to become more of a problem.

The point I am making is that nowadays if they have that agenda, this is what they want to do: go out, get drunk and score an All Black.

"That's what those two girls in Christchurch said they wanted to do. So if this is what they are planning to do of course it is going to create social issues. If it becomes more aggressive with that agenda then the problem gets greater."

Haden said there was no credit to Brooke that he got caught up in the scandal.

"I don't know Robin terribly well. He was in a generation following me. But, the interesting point for me is, since there was a lot of focus on it and since the incident was well covered - no [criminal] charges were laid."

Police say they are "assessing" the matter.

Trecha said All Blacks had become more attractive to women since the game had gone professional.

"These players are seen as rock stars - the flash cars, the big houses. The whole WAG [wives and girlfriends] thing is what people aspire to," she said.

Haden said he was backed into a corner after the furore over the rape comment and had no option but to resign after pressure was applied by World Cup Minister Murray McCully.

The comment came after he claimed the Crusaders had a policy of recruiting only three "darkies" a year, a comment he still stands by.

"There have never been more than three Pacific Islanders in the Crusaders. So if that's the case - I rest my case."

Haden has just been made an unofficial World Cup ambassador for Fiji by President Ratu Apelli.

"He doesn't believe I am racist. He came up to me [at a golf tournament in Fiji] and said New Zealand does not want you as an ambassador - but we do. We would be delighted."

"I had a lot of people tell me they were disappointed when I resigned.

"The reason I did it was I didn't want to diminish the efforts of the (NZ 2011) office. I didn't want to get in the road of their progress and by still being there it didn't help them."

Haden also had a dig at Jonah Lomu's ambassador role when revealing he told NZ 2011 bosses at a dinner in Sydney recently he should be fired.

Haden said he was told Lomu was struggling in the business area of his role.

"I said, 'Why don't you fire him then? Fire him for not having anything to offer'."

But yesterday, he backed off the comments, saying they were a throw-away line.

"Jonah is a global presence. All I meant was Jonah would have difficultly doing the job that I did."

NZ 2011 director Leon Grice said there had been no criticism of Lomu.