NEWS: Boks accuse Barrett of cheating for using jet pack with laser beams
Several ex-Spingboks have accused All Black pivot Beauden Barrett of trying to gain an unfair advantage for playing Saturday's 16-all draw in a jet pack that shot out laser beams.
There were ominous signs during the warm ups when Barrett reduced a sponsors' hoarding to a smouldering rubble, then set the backline alight while hovering five metres above the ground.
Spingboks coach Rassie Erasmus said "The referees should really pick up on this stuff. We had 29 players complying with the laws of the game and one laying waste to our forward pack with laser beams."
Barret went unpunished for firing laser beams through the Springbok lineout in the first ten minutes, causing a number of burn and flesh wounds, which went undetected by officials. Lasers were also critical in a late penalty, as Barrett melted an upright before easily making the kick.
"We spoke to the refs before the game and no-one mentioned jet packs or lasers. Players look for advantages and push the limits of the laws all the time, people forget that Victor Matfield played with a shark strapped to his back in Durban that time," said All Black coach Steve Hansen.
The Springboks will look to up their intelligence to help counter tactics like jet packs that fire out laser beams in the future, as Barrett had been spotted testing the jetpack while walking his dogs along the Wellington waterfront in his wife's Instagram stories earlier in the week.
Thanks for reading - Richard
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