IRB spotlight falls on Rugby World Cup wristbands

Jerome Kaino sports conspicuous writing on his wrist strapping. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The words "mum" and "dad" scribbled on an All Black's wristband are among the messages on match gear that fresh IRB guidelines deal with.

The International Rugby Board yesterday rejected reports that it would vet every word on players' wrist strappings for offensive, political or commercial content, but said it had asked teams to make sure any writing remained personal and discreet.

This week, the board issued guidelines to teams about an increasing trend among players to decorate the bandages taped to their forearms.

"It's pretty simple from our side," said IRB tournament director Kit McConnell. "The guideline we have in place is that messaging handwritten on wrist strappings needs to be personal and discreet - for themselves [the players] rather than any kind of public statement."

Some players liked to have religious messages or the names of their children and partners on their wristbands to give them strength, and the IRB had no problem with that, Mr McConnell said.

"But we would prefer them to be discreetly marked rather than large letters all up the upper forearm."

New Zealand blindside flanker Jerome Kaino is among the players who carry conspicuous writing on their wrist strappings.

The words on Kaino's arms reveal the name of his baby boy - born last month, just days before the start of the tournament. "Kobe", he has written, just above the name of his daughter, Milan, and his wife, Diana.

The wristband also reveals the source of Kaino's strength. "Phil 4:13", it says, an abbreviation for the Epistle to the Philippians and its verse: "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

The IRB began to take a closer look at such wristbands during the World Cup after teams asked whether the growing number of players donning them were complying with tournament rules.

Strict controls of ambush marketing are in place during the tournament to limit on-field imagery to official sponsors, and a match commissioner is made available at every match to review any equipment that teams have doubts about.

Samoan brothers Manu and Alesana Tuilagi, who play for England and Samoa respectively, were each fined $10,000 for wearing unapproved OPRO-branded mouthguards.

Alesana Tuilagi has put the offending mouthguard and the shoes he wore in the match up for auction to raise money for the development of professional boxing in Samoa.

Another Samoa player, centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, has been suspended indefinitely from rugby for Twitter postings about IRB "injustices", a sanction which has attracted much criticism.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira yesterday called the IRB "a bunch of mean-spirited old farts".

"England players get on the booze and bring the Rugby World Cup into disrepute and nothing happens to them, but a Samoan rugby player gets hauled before the IRB for daring to say what every Pacific Island player is thinking," he said.

"What he said rings true in the hearts of all New Zealanders who hate seeing the little guys cop it from big bullies, particularly bullies from the Northern Hemisphere."

Mr McConnell said most of the IRB's rules had remained consistent from previous tournaments - except for the relaxing of some edicts about socks.