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OLIVIA CALDWELL
13:21, Jul 09 2019
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says Waisake Naholo, Nathan Harris and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi have been overtaken by other players.
New Zealand Rugby's selection process lacks a moral compass, a Otago University study says.
Following the selection of Crusaders star Sevu Reece for the All Blacks squad amid an assault controversy, two Otago physical education researchers say NZR should do more in leadership around off-field player behaviour.
Reece admitted to one count of male assaults female after injuring his partner while drunk in a Hamilton street last year. He was discharged without conviction.
The study found while NZR has a list of employee character values, there was little or no emphasis on moral values such as compassion, fairness or integrity.
All Black coach Steve Hansen says Sevu Reece's selection was fair, as he had shown remorse and went through a process off the field.
"NZR lacks clear emphasis on moral values. This reflects other researchers' claims that principles such as honesty and sportspersonship are not often emphasised in elite team sports because they do not win matches," Rosevear said.
The study shows NZR values are based on performance, whereas leading international character academics recommend a focus also be placed on moral values.
NZR's values don't outline the importance of a moral character in selecting their players, the study found.
They called on NZR to consider values with a moral, as well as social focus, and encourage open discussion about why some values are prioritised and not others.
Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry often said "better people make better All Blacks" and "the more self-reliant players we had, the better we'd play".
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen last week said Reece's selection was fair, as he had shown remorse and went through a process off the field.
Hansen said domestic violence "is not a gender thing" in New Zealand.
"It's a big part of our society unfortunately," Hansen told Radio Sport on Saturday.
"So rugby is going to have people within its community that are involved in this."
NZR were opposed to domestic violence and the Crusaders had helped Reece turn his life around, Hansen said.
On July 1, 2018 where an argument between Reece and his partner led to him chasing her down and dragging her to the ground, causing bruises and bleeding.
Once the case hit the news, Irish club Connacht ripped up his contract. Reece, 22, was thrown a lifeline by NZR, when he was sent to the Crusaders.
He was selected for the All Blacks last week, little over a year after the incident.
Rugby Players Association guidelines show serious misconduct to include committing a criminal offence, as well as actions/comments that harm rugby's reputation, and repeated misconduct.
Reece's selection leaves confusion over what the misconduct threshold is. In 2018 Reece was suspended for one match.
Asked this year by Stuff, NZR would not comment on Reece specifically as details around his contract were not for the public.
NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum says there was no one-size-fits-all approach.
"Like any employment contract the processes around misconduct are outlined. This does not mean that there is a one-size fits all approach as each case will have different circumstances," he said.
"New Zealand Rugby, as an employer, is not obliged to divulge details of any misconduct process with staff, including players.
"Any future employment with rugby in New Zealand would be dependent on him completing the help programmes."
Cassidy says the findings of their study, published in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, go further than just rugby.
"They are also relevant and topical for any recruitment agent, employer, selector, or sports coach who either implicitly or explicitly appoints, promotes, selects or deselects participants based on character."
They acknowledged NZR had done well to identify five values as determinants of expected and desired behaviour, and encourage coaches and selectors to assess and judge a player's character against them.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/r...iversity-study