A remorseful Andrew Hore says he let the nation down with his swinging arm challenge that knocked out Welsh lock Bradley Davies and that he deserves the five-week suspension with which he's been administered.
Hore pleaded guilty to the charge of striking Davies in the first minute of the All Blacks' 33-10 victory in Cardiff last Sunday and was handed an eight-week suspension that was reduced to five on the grounds he has shown genuine remorse by apologising to Davies and his previously clean record.
"I want to say how bad I feel and how embarrassed I am to be in this situation," said Hore. "It is not the All Black way and I have let myself down and the team and probably the whole country is pretty proud of what we do.
"I hope Bradley Davies does recover and get back up and running and play in the Heineken Cup as soon as he can. I have been on the phone and talked to him on Sunday about the incident and obviously the All Black management and the leader group that I am a part of has been pretty stern on me for getting us into this situation and I have to take what I have got and go back and start building a reputation as a good, clean, hard footy player and hopefully I can do that in the next Super Rugby competition when I get back playing."
The mood in the All Black camp in the aftermath of Hore's suspension was one of resigned acceptance and relief. The coaches and senior players have known since they first saw the video footage that Hore was going to be in trouble for his actions.
