I didn’t know poor choices in your love life could cost you games.
New Zealand’s All Blacks Rugby team are in South Africa preparing to play without their top halfback, Aaron Smith, who was sent home and suspended after getting caught cheating on his girlfriend in an airport restroom per the AP.
The scandal surrounding Aaron Smith, regarded as one of the best rugby scrumhalves in the world, has dominated media in New Zealand this week.
Prime Minister John Key waded into the furor Thursday, saying Smith — who led the All Blacks in their iconic pre-game haka during last year’s World Cup championship campaign — “clearly let himself and those that are close to him down.”
Smith was suspended for one match, missing the All Blacks’ last outing in the southern hemisphere rugby championship this Saturday in Durban against the Springboks, and faces a misconduct hearing.
Before leaving South Africa, he apologized to his girlfriend, teammates, the New Zealand Rugby Union, and All Blacks fans.
“I made a huge mistake, a huge error in judgment,” he said, in a tearful apology .
His girlfriend, in a statement released by the NZRU, asked for privacy.
The incident occurred on on Sept. 17 at the airport in Christchurch where Smith and a woman spent about 10 minutes in a restroom for those with disabilities.
An annoyed couple with children was waiting outside the bathroom broke the case open.