Foreword by MacDaddy
I don't understand what this c**t's on about. He's too clever for his own good. I'd kick him out, but his mother ran off with his Uncle Jim. Filthy whore.

McAlister
By MacDaddy's university-educated bastard child.

Before we jump the gun with McAlister's supposed comments, it should be noted that the story had consisted almost entirely of reported speech - that is, his words have been interpreted then worked into the story by the reporter. There's no direct quotation. Here's a possibility:

Reporter: "And I suppose it'll help your chances for an All Black recall for the end of year tour?"

McAlister: "Yeah, but we'll need to start winning and I'll need to make sure I play well if that's going to happen."

That then becomes,

'McAlister says his team has to get better results if he's any chance to make the grand slam. He says if he keeps playing and keeps improving he'll be putting his hand up.'

Not saying that this is how it went, but journalists do pull this sort of shit all the time. I know because I trained as one. The fewer direct quotations there are, the greater the likelihood that bullshit is eminent. Not entirely the fault of journos, though: in the professional era, players are encouraged to be so bat-shit boring that almost no quotes are worth printing.

On the other hand, McAlister hasn't done himself too many favours with his attitude, which has often seemed a bit superior. Contrast the guy with Woodcock, who hasn't played much for us in the past couple of years, but will always be more loved by the fans for his down-to-earth nature. A guy who played the Shield challenge a few years back despite the AB selectors asking him not to.

[Editor: MacDaddy's university-educated bastard child's other piece of correspondence to the site can be found here]