WELLINGTON AFP: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen moved Wednesday to clarify comments he made in the wake of Sevu Reece’s controversial selection that downplayed the role of gender in domestic violence.
Hansen has vigorously defended the All Blacks’ decision to select Reece, a player who less than 12 months ago pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend in the street during an argument.
“I know it’s not just restricted to males assaulting women, women assault males too,” the coach told Radio Sport. “It’s not a gender thing, it’s a New Zealand problem.”
Critics labelled the remarks “tone deaf” and Hansen said in a statement release via New Zealand Rugby on Wednesday that he had been misinterpreted.
“Over the last few days it has become clear that my comments have come across to some people as being unsympathetic or minimising how poisonous and harmful domestic violence is for women,” he said.