Give nothing to racism, except when you're leading 1-0 at halftime

PLUS: Win Carl Hayman's memoir, more concussion controversy, The BYC on The Ashes and NRL expansion.

Photosport/ Christian Hofer

First, an apology.

There’s been a bit going on in the sporting world this week, some of which will be addressed in “The Week That Was” tomorrow, but a huge incident like the All Whites refusing to take the field in the second half of their friendly against Qatar would normally prompt a quick-turnaround newsletter.

The truth is that I watched too much Ashes too deep into too many nights, invited a few winter bugs to come straight through the front door and my internal battery went below 5%.

There has been some predictable criticism of the All Whites’ decision not to return to what looked like a training field carved into an Austrian farm to complete their match against Qatar - an entertaining frolic they were leading 1-0.

Shortly before halftime Qatari winger Yusuf Abdurisag allegedly aimed a racial insult at the All Whites Samoan defender Michael Boxall. Judging by the players’ reactions, something very clear and obviously offensive was said - or else they’re tremendous actors being able to summon collective outrage on cue.

Some have questioned whether there was another way to deal with such an incident, to which I’d say, like what exactly?

Wear more armbands?