All Blacks player Ardie Savea is currently at the centre of controversy after making a throat slitting gesture towards an opposition player in the Hurricanes Vs Rebels match this weekend.
After receiving a yellow card for his involvement in an on-field scrap, Savea made the gesture as he was exiting the field. The gesture itself is well known to the New Zealand faithful, after being removed from the Haka for its violent connotations.
Ardie Savea 😬 pic.twitter.com/ONiJHmSrJ3
— Cian Tracey (@CianTracey1) March 3, 2023
Savea, appreciating the severity of the situation, apologised to fans afterwards:
🌪️ An apologetic Ardie Savea after Hurricanes beat Rebels. #REBvHUR pic.twitter.com/jyQzAcvlzx
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) March 3, 2023
“I can understand the fans are furious around the gesture that I made, mate. It’s just a heat of the moment kind of thing, you know. It’s footie, but I understand kids are watching us, but we were in the heat of the moment. Usually that’s out of character for me. I put my hand up first and I apologise for that.”
Savea has since been cited for this action and is currently awaiting the next step of the disciplinary process.
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