Death of Chiefs player hits All Blacks hard

The death of a team mate has hit the All Blacks hard as they are on the other side of the world preparing for a Northern Tour like no other.

Sean Wainui is in the All Blacks’ thoughts.
Photo: Photosport / Jeremy Ward

The death of Maori All Black Sean Wainui in a car crash on Monday in the Bay of Plenty has reverberated in Washington DC.

Wainui and his extended family are on the minds of the players who lined up alongside or against the winger at provincial level.

Through tears All Black hooker Codie Taylor spoke of the shock that those players closest to Wainui were feeling.

Taylor had played with Wainui during his time at the Crusaders and the outside back had also meant a lot to those who knew him through the Chiefs, Maori All Blacks, Taranaki and the Bay of Plenty.

Sean Wainui and Codie Taylor had been team mates and opponents.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

“It’s pretty tough, I know there’s a few boys in here really struggling, as you’d expect, and we touched on it this morning as a group and there’ll be another opportunity to do that later on,” Taylor said.

“I just think with a man with so much mana and respect I think it’s such sad news to hear. I suppose there is a lot of shock as well that you don’t think it’s going to ever happen to someone like that but it does it’s just the reality of I suppose the world.”

Another of Wainui’s Crusaders team mates, Sam Whitelock, shared Taylor’s sentiments and said the large All Blacks touring party were rallying around those in the side who needed the support.

“Yes, we’re here to play rugby but there is so many other things that can affect that and this is one of those ones, so people will be going through the different cycles of grief and obviously at the moment it is all still very raw still and everyone is just in their own way connecting with their own stories about Seany,” Whitelock said.

Sam Whitelock, right, sat next to Sean Wainui when they both played for the Crusaders.
Photo: PhotoSport / John Davidson

“For myself at the Crusaders it was Whitelock and Wainui we used to sit next to each other on the planes and used to love having that little catch-up around where he was and his life, I think he was 19, 20 when he was at the Crusaders, so that was my story but everyone else is connecting with their memories that have of Seany.”

Wainui was father to two children and for All Blacks with children of their own it is particularly hard to be a long way from home at a time like this.

It took about 35 hours for the All Blacks to travel to Washington DC where they will play the USA Eagles over the weekend.

It is the first time since 2016 that the All Blacks have played in America and strict team-imposed Covid-19 protocols mean the squad does not have the same freedoms as Americans.

For Taylor, who has dealt with the restrictions in New Zealand and Australia, the difference was stark.

“I sorta noticed it in the airport once we got into America, just how packed they were, everything is open. You can sorta see why cases are higher over here, but they’re just getting on with life.”

The players are waiting clearance to be allowed to play golf in their downtime but hooker Dane Coles said they would be unlikely to get to an NBA or NFL game.

“We know what we’re getting into and that’s just they way it is and I don’t think you wanna risk going for a bit of sightseeing to risk your team getting Covid, so we’ll look outside the bus when we go to training and see what we can see and then go to our hotel and spend some quality time with the lads.”

The All Blacks play USA on 24 October before taking on Wales, Italy, Ireland and France.