Sam Whitelock dwarfing John Key became an iconic image from the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
Sam Whitelock dwarfing John Key became an iconic image from the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
Prime Minister John Key's embrace of the All Blacks has reopened an often-bitter debate, writes Eli Orzessek
It was one of the iconic images of this year's Rugby World Cup - and it took place in the changing room, rather than on the field.
Following New Zealand's semifinal win over South Africa, an image of a rather Hobbit-esque looking John Key emerged, shaking hands and dwarfed by a giant, hairy Sam Whitelock. It was an image that excited social media, with the lingering question of just what the Prime Minister was doing in the changing rooms in the first place.
Politicians love to hitch themselves to a winning brand, and Key is no exception. He's been all over the All Blacks since his first day in the Beehive and he considers the captain a mate.
Before the 2011 World Cup, Key even joked, "I've tried to tell Richie McCaw that it's very important - it's an election year" - adding that if he won the Cup, "he may well become Sir Richard McCaw".
There's an old saying that sports and politics shouldn't mix and was a common cry during the 1981 Springboks tour. But given the All Blacks squad was announced at Parliament, it's clear the two concepts aren't exactly oil and water.
For Labour MP Louisa Wall, a former netball and rugby international, they're already well intertwined. She's known for her work around marriage equality and compared the passing of her member's bill to "winning a World Cup final".
Although she understands Key's passion for the All Blacks - "because we love them" - she wishes he would focus his attention more evenly.
When the Silver Ferns played the Netball World Cup final against Australia this year, Key attended the All Blacks' Bledisloe Cup match against Australia instead, which Wall describes as "a bit of a slight on women".
"As the leader of the country, wouldn't you prioritise yourself going to see our Silver Ferns team playing in a World Cup final?" she asks. "I think he's trying to live off the adulation of the All Blacks and that's completely inappropriate."
Louisa Wall played test rugby before becoming an MP. Photo / Getty Images
Labour's associate sports and recreation spokeswoman, Wall was disappointed to find she was not invited to the All Blacks squad naming at Parliament, despite representing New Zealand as a professional sportswoman.
"I think the biggest threat, when we start having events like this and make them political, is who ends up controlling the invitation list and is it evenly distributed?"
As an All Black-turned-politician, Chris Laidlaw has advice for McCaw about a potential future in politics.
"Any intelligent All Black captain would never do that," he says. Laidlaw was MP for Wellington Central during 1992-93, having previously joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972 and moving on to be New Zealand's first resident High Commissioner to Harare.
"It's often said Richie McCaw should stand for politics. I'd have thought it would be the last thing he should do," he says. "It's a different world. You're suddenly between friends and enemies, having effectively lived a gilded life of only being surrounded by friends and admirers."
It seems McCaw agrees. Earlier this year, hesaid he would prefer not to get into politics, as it would halve the number of his supporters. But despite the calls of "Richie for PM", it can often be dangerous grounds for sportspeople to publicly express political opinions.
Jonah Lomu, Israel Dagg and Eric Murray all attracted criticism for breaking electoral law by tweeting their support for National on election day in 2011. Besides the obvious issues of the law, Laidlaw says he believes players should have more freedom to speak their minds. But there are complications in the professional era, when players are considered employees.
"I've always thought it's overregulated," he says. "When I was in the All Blacks in the 1960s, there was the most stringent discouragement of saying anything that might smack of a political opinion.
"We were amateurs and, of course, many of us ignored it and I think quite rightly, because each individual has a right to identify with whatever else he wants to identify with outside of the game.
"That is a freedom that ought to be maintained. I don't give a damn who Dan Carter supports politically and I don't think other people should, either."
However, there are obvious concerns around the influence stars wield, and Laidlaw and Wall say it's wiser for athletes to support causes, rather than parties.
"The reality is support from very prominent person can be used and it can come back to embarrass you," says Laidlaw.
"I think most sportspeople don't realise that until they get burnt."
Wall uses outspoken Wallaby No 7 David Pocock as an example. Pocock is well-known for his opinions on environmental issues - he once chained himself to mining equipment as part of a protest. He's also a big supporter of marriage equality and won't marry his partner until all Australian couples are offered that privilege.
"I think that they should use their influence, but for positive things," Wall says. "They are role models, whether they like it or not and whether society likes it or not."
Former All Blacks flanker Josh Kronfeld never really considered himself to be "politically minded, per se", but once engaged in a political action that earned him a telling off from Sir Colin Meads.
It was 1995, a few months before rugby went professional and a year of French nuclear testing in the South Pacific, an issue which concerned Kronfeld deeply. The night before he was due to take the field for Otago against Waikato, he decided to make a statement.
The openside had just received new headgear and he and his then-girlfriend started joking about drawing anti-nuclear symbols on it with Twink.
"We were laughing about it, thinking about how much trouble it could get me in and not really thinking of doing it," he remembers. "But then we started doing it and, next thing I knew, I was wearing it in the game."
His protest got Kronfeld in trouble with the New Zealand Rugby Union. While the NZRU does not have a specific rule about supporting political causes, players are warned not to say or do anything that might "bring the game into disrepute".
"I think probably because I used the platform of rugby to make a statement, that was the biggest issue," he says. "And, look, I understand it but, at the same time, I think the type of statement I was making affects everyone in New Zealand, so I kind of felt like there was enough reason to do it."
Later that year,when the All Blacks embarked on their tour of France, Meads spoke to Kronfeld on the sideline and warned him not to repeat the stunt on French soil.
"I got injured before I got to play a game in France, so it was kind of fortunate because maybe I might have sneaked out that headgear again."
Kronfeld describes himself as a "sports purist" but recognises that "politics and sport have always had an association" and sees nothing new in Key's alignment with the All Blacks.
"Our government leaders love aligning themselves with the All Blacks," he says. "It's a strong brand. It's the warm-fuzzies they get out their own media and their own constituents. I've always found it pretty humorous, that side of things. It's comical."
Kronfeld did not face further repercussions from his action 20 years ago, but it was different for Manu Samoa player Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu when he openly criticised World Rugby during the 2011 World Cup.
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu's statements have landed him in trouble. Photo / Getty Images
After Samoa were left with just three days to prepare to play Wales, Fuimaono-Sapolu tweeted comparing the scheduling of the tournament to slavery, the Holocaust and apartheid. Officials met with his team's management, accepted an official apology and no further action was taken.
However, after Samoa lost to South Africa, Fuimaono-Sapolu accused referee Nigel Owens of being racist and biased - again via Twitter.
This time, his tweet landed him a six-month ban, 100 hours of community service and he says there was an attempt to take his passport from him.
"I was made an example of to strike fear into the rest of the slave rugby players not to dare speak up against World Rugby injustice," he says. "The idea of a brown, Pacific player questioning the unjust absolute rule of World Rugby is a scary thought."
According to Fuimaono-Sapolu, politics directly affects sports.
"Everything in sport, from child participation to John Key trying to hang around the All Blacks like a Diocesan teeny-bopper outside Justin Bieber's hotel, is political.
"Athletes need to embrace it and realise their huge power and potential to affect wonderful political change for the New Zealanders who come out in droves to support them. If Dan Carter and Richie McCaw said stop the TPPA, I guarantee John Key would have [done it] in a heartbeat."
But if World Rugby tried to silence Fuimaono-Sapolu, it didn't work. The treatment he received inspired him to "raise my middle finger higher, enlarge it and permanently stick it to World Rugby's wrinkled face".
That's a message he's hoping to spread other players, particularly those from tier two nations, which he continues to advocate for on social media and elsewhere.
"To the players worldwide, do not be physically strong but psychologically weak," he says.
"Take back your minds and be as fearless to World Rugby as you are in smashing each other to pieces."
