New Zealand Prime Minister enters McCaw furore

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark weighed into a row following Saturday's bruising Tri-Nations encounter in Auckland, saying Australia were guilty of 'acts of assault' on Richie McCaw. New Zealand clinched the Tri-Nations title with the 34-27...

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark weighed into a row following Saturday's bruising Tri-Nations encounter in Auckland, saying Australia were guilty of 'acts of assault' on Richie McCaw.

New Zealand clinched the Tri-Nations title with the 34-27 victory at Eden Park but the match will be more remembered for its physical nature, highlighted by Lote Tuqiri's tackle on McCaw.

Wallaby winger Tuqiri was cited and then banned for 11 weeks for the heart-stopping 44th-minute incident in which McCaw was upended and left clutching his neck after his head struck the ground.

Tuqiri denied any malice and McCaw suffered no long-term damage but the ferocity of that tackle and other challenges on the All Blacks skipper angered the Kiwi PM.

"I thought it was absolutely appalling. We witnessed several acts of assault against the All Blacks captain and it was very, very ugly to see," she told New Zealand radio.

"One hesitates as just someone in the stand to voice an opinion but certainly I felt someone should have been sent off."

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