Just how did John Key get two of the biggest names in rugby to back his failed flag campaign?
It could have been as simple as a text message.
Former All Black captain Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, currently World Rugby Player of the Year, were texted by the Prime Minister and asked to watch his video promoting a change of New Zealand flag. They both went on to publicly support the campaign for change just weeks before voting began last month.
The detail was disclosed by the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Wayne Eagleson, after an Official Information Act request from the Herald.
He said the Prime Minister didn't have copies of the text messages and couldn't remember the exact date. However, the messages were believed to have been sent after Mr Key's flag change video was released and before the shortlist of four flags was made public.