All Blacks trained in risky business of a social life

The All Blacks are being taught how to avoid the unwanted attention of over-amorous females in bars and how to behave if someone passes them a P-pipe at a party.

In a sign of the times, the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association has gone on the front foot to avoid potentially embarrassing headlines and has hired risk management company Core Dynamics to educate players about the pitfalls of public life.

Sessions include role-plays and practical help, such as being shown what drug utensils look like.

"Players have already told me in private conversations that they are being put in potentially compromising positions at parties and in other social settings where drugs are present," said NZRPA chief executive Rob Nichol.

"We have been teaching our guys about the dangers of alcohol for some time. But we thought, even though it's a controversial subject, that it would be prudent to move with the times and make sure our guys have the tools to make good decisions if they are ever at a party where drugs are being passed around."

Nichol said the players had made sensible decisions to leave when they became aware fellow partygoers were in possession of illegal drugs.

"We spell out the consequences to them and it's then up to them to make sensible decisions. So far so good."

David Tomoana of Core Dynamics also works with cricketers and netballers and said rugby players were taught to recognise danger signs and how to avoid getting themselves in a jam.

"One hour they are gladiators, a half hour later they are expected to be model citizens. It's not an easy existence, so they need as much help as they can get. We give practical advice on how to diffuse situations when things get tense in public that the guys feel comfortable with such as just walking away or, if they are a peacemaker, talking things through diplomatically with people."

They are also taught to find all exit points in bars in case things turn nasty and to take a proactive approach like letting bar staff know who they are in case they need help later.

The dangers and risks of being exposed in a public forum is also used as a deterrent. Nichol: "We role play a scenario in which a couple of girls come over, as they do, and chat up players. They get on OK and she gives them a peck and someone takes a cellphone picture. We stop the role play and present them with a printout of a website back in NZ of the bloke being being kissed in the bar.

"The article says the bloke has a fiancee back in New Zealand who is pregnant. He has not left the bar yet and all this, an innocent picture that looks kind of compromising, has already happened. It's a far-fetched scenario but it could happen and it hammers home the potential risks."

A handful of high-profile athletes have fallen from grace in recent years, and earlier this year American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, was photographed smoking from a cannabis bong.

Relatively speaking, rugby has a clean record with drugs, but over the years All Blacks have been involved in several alcohol-related incidents including Doug Howlett jumping on cars in London, Tana Umaga belting Chris Masoe with a handbag and Norm Hewitt smashing through a glass door at a Queenstown apartment in 1999.

Senior All Black Brad Thorn, a former NRL star, said courses like those run by Core Dynamics were proving invaluable.

"It was really good and I got a fair bit out of [them]. When you have got a 34-year-old guy like me and some 18 and 19-year-olds in the same room it's interesting, but there was some good learning there."

New All Blacks flanker Kieran Read applauded the proactive approach of the players' association, saying the role playing seminars were an annual part of the season at the Crusaders.

"We do a refresher course every year before the season starts and it's an open and honest environment where players can discuss the dangers we face and the consequences.

"It  touches on how we can help each other out when out in public and how to get ourselves out of tricky situations."

- © Fairfax NZ News