Former All Black Andy Haden Friday stood by his allegation that Super 14 team the Crusaders has a racial quota, despite vehement denials from the team.
Haden originally made the allegation in a television sports panel show Wednesday, saying the Crusaders -- the most successful team in Super rugby history -- had set a limit of three non-white players.
"Once they've recruited three, that's it. That's their ceiling."
"Three darkies... no more," Haden said during a panel discussion on the "Deaker on Sport" programme.
"In the Crusaders' manual, there it is, it's enshrined in their articles, and they've stuck by that. And they know damn well that that's the case. And it's worked."
The outspoken Haden defended his claims Friday but said he was referring to players of Pacific Island origin, rather than indigenous Maori squad members.
Speaking on Radio New Zealand, he added he was wrong to say the policy was written in the franchise's articles, but insisted his accusations were otherwise correct.
"A number of their senior management have espoused this theory before and I have spoken to them -- different ones at different times who have mentioned the same thing," Haden said.
"That's wrong, but the principle remains and this is an issue for New Zealand rugby," Haden told Radio New Zealand.
Haden, who is white, said the policy was most obvious in the recruitment of players for the franchise's academy at which young players were groomed for eventual Super 14 selection.
"A past All Black friend of mine was rung by a Canterbury coach and asked about a player and at the time he said to him 'we can only have two or three (players of Pacific Island extraction) in our franchise and we want to integrate them slowly'," Haden said.
"It's been there all the time below the surface and nobody's been prepared to talk about it."
Haden didn't elaborate on why the quota was in place, other than saying the Crusaders' formula had been successful and that they wanted a franchise "that has that flavour."
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew, a former chief executive of the Crusaders, denied any such a policy had existed in his time.
"There was never a quota system when I was there and never would there be, I am sure," Tew said.
"It's an accusation that's rubbish."
The Crusaders' current chief executive, Hamish Riach, said Haden should be removed as an ambassador for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
"It's incredibly damaging and inappropriate for Andy Haden to throw grenades around like this and I think it calls into question his ambassadorial role for the World Cup," Riach said.
"I can't see a bloke running around telling lies in that role."
Haden, who played 41 Tests between 1972 and 1985, was appointed as a World Cup ambassador by Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully, who said he would study a transcript of the comments.
The Crusaders, beaten in the Super 14 semifinals by the Bulls last weekend, included Pacific Islanders Kahn Fotuali'i, Robbie Fruean and Ti'i Paulo.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key described as Haden's claims "offensive and incorrect".
Key said Friday that New Zealand's minister of sport Murray McCully would be meeting the former All Black over the weekend.
"I'm sure they will be having a discussion and we will see where that leads," Key said.
"My view on that is that the comments are not only factually incorrect, they are also offensive.
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew, who is a former Crusaders chief executive, and the franchise's current chief executive Hamish Riach have responded angrily to Haden's comments, describing them as insulting and untrue.
Haden played 117 games, including 41 tests, for the All Blacks and was described by the sports minister recently as one of New Zealand's greatest players.
Haden owns and runs a successful celebrity management company whose clients include supermodel and actress Rachel Hunter.
.jpg)
