All Black coaching staff were shocked by the "inappropriate" antics of some heavy-drinking players while they were on tour.
After a big loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg in 2004, some players got heavily intoxicated during a "court session", which shocked newly-appointed manager Darren Shand.
In court sessions, team members were required to drink large amounts of alcohol as punishment for real and fictitious misdemeanours.
Shand said a big loss didn't put the team off drinking - in fact, players gave the impression drinking was more important than the playing.
"I came from the Crusaders where we had court sessions as well, but only when we won. I can remember in 2004 being surprised that the team had a court session after we had lost heavily to South Africa.
"Some guys were heavily intoxicated - to the extent they had to be helped to bed. We were staying in a four or five-star resort and their behaviour was inappropriate.
"In my experience, when these sessions got really out of hand was when hard liquor was introduced."
Shand wasn't alone in his concerns. Coaches Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith were surprised by the extent of the drinking culture when they took control of the national team in 2004.
Hansen said the All Blacks' drinking habits were far different from what he had experienced in his previous coaching role with Wales.
"I was surprised we hadn't moved forward," he said.
From then on, there was a concentrated effort to make changes and although the changes were not immediately met with on-field success, it was widely thought to have sparked a revolution throughout the New Zealand professional game.
Now, professional rugby can no longer stand accused of having an endemic binge drinking culture. The game no longer sanctions or encourages players to drink excessively.
"We have moved away from the old ways," said Hansen.
"We still have a laugh but we don't force alcohol down the throats of young men any more. We discuss things. It's now all about performing."
- by Gregor Paul of the NZ Herald
