34
// NZ RUGBY WORLD // JUNE/JULY 2015
Piutau’s parents on the other hand arrived from
Tonga with nothing more than the bags they
carried...[he] was sent to boarding school but not just to
better himself. He was sent to help better the situation
of the family.’
talented young man with the capacity to
light up the test arena. But it was obvious
there was a tinge of hurt and possibly even
anger that Piutau had opted to leave.
The NZRU played the role of
disapproving parent, doing more than
enough to hint at their disapproval
without being specific. Every child has
been there – feeling that passive,
aggressive disdain which lingers. Piutau
clearly felt it, too.
He no doubt, too, felt some guilt as the
whole vibe from the NZRU was that he
somehow lacked the moral fortitude to say
no to the money and yes to the All Black
jersey.
He’d have found his employer more
supportive and empathetic if he’d been
caught drink driving, or stealing. Those
would have been considered near
inevitable blips – the consequence of
youth, fame, wealth and pressure
colliding. How many times has a
remorseful player apologised for a social
misdemeanour with the steadying hand of
an administrator on his back? But to make
the conscious decision to grab a million
dollars – money offered as a consequence
of hard work, dedication and incredible
talent – that’s a near unforgivable sin.
There was no steadying hand on Piutau’s
back when he confirmed he would be
leaving for Ulster. With his bed made, he
was pretty much told to go and lie in it.
What this whole episode did was
emphasise there is little flexibility within
the administration of the professional
game as to what constitutes a successful
career. Of more concern, though, was the
failure to comprehend the issues that
mattered most to Piutau.
He was judged for taking the money –
for daring to not follow the expected path.
But he was being judged by a middle-
class, middle-aged executive. He was
being judged by an older generation who
had grown up in relative comfort and who
had the luxury of considering a black
jersey to be invaluable because there was
always food on the table.
McCaw’s career path meets with
universal executive approval partly
because his upbringing and background is
one to which they can relate. McCaw
comes from generations of solid, North
Otago farming stock. He went to boarding
school and university all with the aim of
making the most of himself. He’s done that
– owning as he does, multiple properties
as well as having investments in several
companies.
Piutau’s parents on the other hand
arrived from Tonga with nothing more
than the bags they carried. Piutau, like
McCaw, was sent to boarding school but
not just to better himself. He was sent to
[ path finders ]
