Loe confesses infamous Carozza hit 'deliberate act'

Richard Loe

Former All Blacks hard man Richard Loe has admitted his attack on an Australian opponent in 1992 - one of the most controversial acts in Bledisloe Cup rugby history - was deliberate.

Loe's smashed his forearm into the face of Wallabies winger Paul Carozza after the Australian scored a try then rolled on his back during the second test at Ballymore in Brisbane 1992.

The try was crucial in his team's 19-17 win.

Today, Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper reported that Loe had publicly admitted for the first time that the attack was deliberate.

"I probably did (mean to do it) on the day, yeah," it quoted Loe as saying.

"It would be easy to say to you, 'hell no' or I regret it and I shouldn't have done it. I probably shouldn't have done it.

"But it was done, I did it, and I probably meant to do it on the day.

"A lot of people have asked me what happened and all I say is it can't have been that bad because both of us walked from the field at the end of the game, and we both talk now.

"There's been a lot of water pass under the bridge, we've spoken regularly since, and I don't think Paul holds any great grudges."

Carozza said the closest thing he got to an apology was after the third test of that 1992 series in Sydney: "He came up and said: 'How are you going'?

"And then he said a really weird thing: 'Worse things have happened -- out at sea', as though I was a sailor," Carozza said.

Although the attack left Carozza dazed and bloodied, he later returned to the field.

Carozza, who said Loe "seems an okay guy off the field but I guess he had a bit of lunatic about him on the field," said he wished the attack had not happened.

"I was annoyed he took such a cheap shot but the only thing that really got me mad was the excuse-making from the New Zealand camp.

"If they'd said he'd done the wrong thing, if they'd copped it, I wouldn't have minded so much."

Loe will be in Brisbane tomorrow for the Tr-Nations/Bledisloe Cup test between the countries, only the second Bledisloe Cup match played in that city since 1992.

Loe, who was once banned for eye-gouging a fellow All Black in a provincial match, said he enjoyed the company of Australians.

"The only thing is when we're playing each other, whether it be netball, league, union or tiddlywinks, we like to kick each other's arse."

- NZPA