Rugby Loss: Kiwis Gutted, French Reaction, Howard Dobson, Political Reaction - Egyptian Plane Crash - Hastings Murder - Boy Burnt - Snakes In Bluff

RUGBY LOSS - KIWIS GUTTED: Le Coq up. Bugger: A national day of mourning. Kiwi fans devastated - gutted - by the loss of the favoured All Blacks in this mornings World Cup clash with France. John Hart accepts responsibility but repercussions may go further. Kiwi fans leave Twickenham stony faced - "a game of two halves and we lost both" . Evening Post leads with Buggeur headline. Radio Hosts inundated with calls advise callers to stay home and ring in sick. One host says they are ill prepared to be grief counsellers.

RUGBY LOSS - REACTION:: French Ambassador didn't even bother to get up. France's Americas Cup skipper didn't get up either but ribbed Team NZ members. Australian Rugby Team did not say they were relieved. John Eales says the French showed a very good effort. Bad luck for the TAB who lost $60,000 on a long shot $400 bet.

RUGBY LOSS - IV: Still recovering from this mornings loss is Howard Dobson. Dobson: John Hart is taking responsibility but he doesn't play. Questions all last year about Taine Randell's captaincy. The mood among the All Blacks is one of despair. They are gutted. Shattered. The French form into this game did not suggest they would do this. Jeff Wilson reluctant to sign autographs. All Blacks disappear into their own rooms tonight. Tears - there may have been a few on the bus. They were very quiet. Nothing even from Glen Osborne.

(from second segment)
RUGBY LOSS - POLITICAL REACTION: "It demonstrates that just because you are favoured then you do not necessarily win", says PM. Helen Clark says the loss will effect the Nationals chances. Message now from Nats is that Labour cannot afford its promises. But some questions on whether National can afford its planned tax cuts to the corporate and top personal tax rate. Hopes of a nice shiny World Cup are dashed . National has lost the second leg of its Post APEC feel-good factor double.

EGYPTIAN PLANE CRASH: Egyptian airliner crashes in Atlantic. One of several recent crashes outbound from New York. Family and friends crowded around a single copy of the passenger list. At JFK airport families arrive but there is no hope. Noone will have survived. Plane crash was sudden and catostropic. The plane descended very rapidly. Debris over 90 sq kms of sea. Only two 767's have crashed - one in a hijacking. Lucky break for one would be passenger on flight 990 - his daughter held him back.

HASTINGS MURDER: Police have a suspect in the murder of a security guard at Splash Planet water park in Hastings. The guard leaves behind a wife and children. Staff at the park are shocked. Hugh Mills was the night patrolman. His only protection was a mobile phone. However he did not manage to ring the police it seems. The park will be closed for the next couple of days,

BOY BURNT: A 32 year old Whitianga woman who is accused of setting fire to a 10-year-old has been remanded for psychiatric assessment.

SNAKES IN BLUFF: Worker nearly steps on two deadly Australian snakes at Bluff. Worker says he got a shock and did not believe what he saw. It is thought it might be a tiger snake. Customs now looking for the snakes. Worker stood on snakes tail. Dead snakes may not be found after fumigation.

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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