All Blacks star offers apology after THROAT-SLITTING gesture

All Blacks star offers grovelling apology to fans after disgraceful THROAT-SLITTING gesture during Super Rugby match

  • Ardie Savea lost his cool on Friday night
  • Throat-slitting gesture widely condemned
  • During Super Pacific match at AAMI Park 
  • Governing body SANZARR likely to investigate
  • Suspension could follow for All Blacks veteran 

All Blacks star Ardie Savea has admitted he ‘has to be better’ in the wake of his throat-slitting gesture directed at Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Ryan Louwrens on Friday.

Savea, the Wellington Hurricanes captain, lost his cool after he was sin-binned for ‘escalating’ a push and shove late between a number of players in the first half at AAMI Park. 

He also appeared to say, ‘You’re f—ing dead’ as he walked off for a ten-minute spell.

The 29-year-old was apologetic post match, conceding his intimidating behaviour in the round two Super Rugby Pacific match was a poor look.

‘I can understand the fans are furious around the gesture that I made,’ the 70-Test veteran for New Zealand said.

All Blacks star Ardie Savea has admitted he ‘has to be better’ in the wake of his throat-slitting gesture directed at Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Ryan Louwrens

The Hurricanes captain labelled his conduct ‘out of character’ and was quick to apologise post game

‘Kids are watching us….that was out of character for me, so I put my hand up first and I apologise for that.’

Savea added the fiery encounter with Louwrens was ‘just normal banter in the game’  – but as a role model he is well aware he needs to keep his cool.

‘We’re trying to clean up the game,’ he said. ‘I understand that, there’s no excuse for me, I have to be better.’

Former Wallabies enforcer Justin Harrison weighed in on the fracas when in commentary for Stan Sport.

‘I don’t think I’ve [ever] seen any player make that sort of action and gesture in a game,’ he said.

‘There’s better ways to get a message across.’

According to rugbypass, governing body SANZAAR will investigate the incident and Savea is tipped to face a disciplinary panel where a suspension could follow.

Watch every match, ad-free, live and on demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport.

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