Inga Tuigamala: It takes a team to beat the booze

Opinion

The recent spate of players getting in trouble off the field is worrying.

People are right when they say it didn't happen so much in my day, but there were big differences then.

When we went out we would usually go out as a group, we were very mindful of what could happen and we would look after each other.

Today's players seem to be off by themselves a lot - and that's when a lot of the trouble seems to happen.

I have a lot of sympathy for the players. People need to remember that these guys are often targets when they are out in public.

They are in the public eye a lot more and are easily recognisable. Everything they do can become news. As Taniela Moa and Rene Ranger have found out.

There are also plenty of people out there who want to make a name for themselves by hassling players. It's no surprise players react in these situations, it's just human nature.

I know alcohol is often a factor. It wasn't for me. I didn't drink. I couldn't drink to save my life. But others did. So this booze issue isn't new - it's been around for years.

Team discipline can play a big part. Players need to be reminded of their responsibilities and that they are expected to behave in a certain way.

I know Blues coach Pat Lam is big on this and the players will have been told in no uncertain terms what is expected of them. But it's hard to stop people ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

You can only eat, sleep and breathe rugby so much. It's only natural the players want to get away from it for a while. At the end of the day, they need support to help them make the right decisions.

On the field, it's great to see the New Zealand teams making a charge at the business end of the Super 14. Having the Chiefs topping the table at this time of the year adds an extra level of excitement and I'm sure a lot of people want them to do well.

It's a great reward for coach Ian Foster, who has certainly been through the tough times and copped plenty of flack. It just shows that persevering with coaches - and players - is often the right approach.

The All Blacks have done the same thing with Graham Henry and that looks to be paying off too. Henry has spent time with all the Kiwi teams recently and it looks to me as if they've all improved after his visits.

I'm not sure what he would have done with them but I think the key thing would have been to remind players what is expected of them.

I've been impressed with the turnaround at the Blues, especially in their defence. Knowing Pat, he would have sat down with the players individually, made them look at their own game, see where it needed improving and encouraged them to bring that into the team environment. Pat has a way of bringing out the best in his players.

I know there's a lot of doom and gloom about rugby at the moment but we must be doing something right.

The Blues are starting to look like the team of old. They are well-placed at fifth going into this round and should push on to the semifinals.

With the Chiefs topping the table, the Hurricanes looking good in fourth and the Crusaders hanging in there, it's all shaping for a fantastic end to the Super 14 for the New Zealand sides.