Mon 16 Jun 2014 | 03:05
Dunedin Streaker gets Smashed by Security Guard Number Eight

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The streaker from the New Zealand vs England Test has been banned for two years from the Forsyth Barr Stadium, and will face a charge of offensive behaviour this week. He was also fined $1000. The guy that tackled him is a Canterbury squad player. 

Videos of the brutal hit have gone viral, causing outage and mixed opinions amongst fans, some of whom say the tackle by the security guard was totally over the top and extremely dangerous.

Stadium management have said that he was acting as instructed, and the pitch invader will not be receiving any kind of apology for what he did on Saturday night.

"If streakers evade any security guard, [they must] bring them under control, so the course of action that he took was appropriate as per his brief, which would have been player safety and fast exit off the ground," said Terry Davies, Dunedin Venues.

The man who made the big tackle is 19-year-old Brad Hempopo, an eighthman who has been named in Canterbury's wider training squad for the ITM Cup. He is a student who was working as a security guard on the night to earn a bit of extra money.

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said that he doubts he was trying to cause harm, and that it's a lesson for fans. "Its a good reminder to all those idiots out there not to get out on the field."

The 28-year-old streaker, builder Adam Holtslag, has said that he won't be attempting that again. "I was expecting to get hit but I didn't really see that one coming. It'll be the first and last time."

In the footage, above and below, you can see his neck snapping back violently. He was also put in a headlock before being dragged off by three security guards. Holtslag said that his neck was feeling 'surprisingly good' but his ribs hurt, and he almost passed out from the headlock.

He said his girlfriend wasn't too happy, and he has been nursing a hangover ever since.

In Friday's Top 5 Fan Gone Wild Moments Ever we saw a clip of a fan being smashed at the USA Sevens, and some of you may remember that a few years back a similar thing happened in New Zealand, whereby a not so naked fan was prancing about on the field before an overzealous security guard tackled him hard.

It's all fun and games for those watching, but once you enter the field of play you're a target and viewed as a potential threat to the players, so should be prepared to be dealt with as such.

credit to Joel malcolm-smith & other original video uploaders

13 Comments

  • drg
    1:54 PM 22/07/2014

    I've had the pleasure of growing up watching HK 7's, where there is often (or used to be) streakers, they were always clattered in big hits, but that's more or less where it ended, they then sort of got dragged away, but I never recall there being any sort of rough justice going on...

  • matt
    10:05 AM 15/07/2014

    I agree they probably aren't going to be the macho knobends that are dangerous, but they might be, and when you're dealing with someone without knowing you have to expect the worst.

    As for the choking thing, I hope, and suspect, that it was accidental and purely a result of trying to drag a body off the pitch as quickly as possible.

    I watched the Twickenham streaker video that's linked about, and he gets an equally uncomfortable looking handling in that. It's just the price you pay for being out there, and everyone in each situation has no complaints at the end of it.

  • drg
    7:31 PM 12/07/2014

    I'm not suggesting there was no need to keep the guy under control, but the guy said he nearly passed out because he was being choked.

    As said above in my previous comment, I have a strong suspicion that there is a "certain type of person" who will go streaking... That person is; I suspect, not the macho macho bullshit kind of bloke who wants to show how tough he is, so I strongly, again suspect, that the sort of person to streak will not kick off a fuss when they're eventually caught - Unless of course they're doing it for some political agenda...

    I've never seen a streaker being handled like this before.

  • matt
    4:12 PM 11/07/2014

    I like streakers too. But I think it's things like this that keep the numbers of people doing it down at a level that is funny but not really an inconvenience

  • matt
    4:10 PM 11/07/2014

    I think that there's a couple of very good reasons for the afters. Firstly, the guard has absolutely no idea how the streaker is going to react to having been tackled, and so whilst it's not friendly or pretty, it has to be safety first. He needs to establish absolute control on the situation, and that means being uncompromising, he didn't start throwing punches or knees or twisting limbs off, he just outmuscled the bloke.
    Secondly, the game was still going at this stage, and he probably wanted to get the bloke up, under control and moving as soon as possible. Which he did.
    I don't really like seeing it either, but there are very good reasons for it happening.

  • flanker2712
    2:30 PM 10/07/2014

    If there is a Rule 2(a), I assume there is, at least, a Rule 1 and a Rule 2(b). Enlighten us.

  • drg
    6:12 PM 07/07/2014

    I think Number11 summed it up quite well, I agree with what he's written. I do think this was potentially 'over the top' and of course the bloke could have had a nasty back injury as a result, however, what I didn't like to see was the afters side of things, the headlock etc. I understand the bloke shouldn't have been streaking in the first place, but it is; in some respects, harmless fun (for us watching, I doubt the this guy would agree!). It's almost a sort of half time sport, seeing streakers standing up security guards with great steps and in turn seeing them get smashed, but as I said, that headlock afters stuff was not something I thought was necessary.

    Of course I could be wrong, but who here would go out streaking and not expect to potentially be smashed? (other than this guy!) - so it's fair to say the type of chap that goes streaking and gets smashed is not going to be the sort of bloke that then takes umbrage and will end up scrapping the security guard surely? Anyway I'm glad everyone involved is ok, I just hope maybe someone has a quiet word and urges the security chap to restrain his choking technique somewhat...

  • stroudos
    7:55 AM 30/06/2014

    "The streaker ignored rule 2(a) of streaking - If you can't see a guard coming for you, check behind your back."

    Excellent!

  • number11
    8:48 PM 17/06/2014

    I think in this situation any tackle made on a streaker should fit the laws of the game, so no brutal clothelines, but no problem with that sort of hit. He's taking the risk by getting on the pitch.

  • eddie-g
    3:55 PM 17/06/2014

    The streaker ignored rule 2(a) of streaking - If you can't see a guard coming for you, check behind your back.

    Anyway, I don't really like to see people chastising a 19-year old security guy for doing what he did in the moment. It's always dangerous to blind-side a bloke like that, but when an intruder's just a few yards from the players, I can't blame the guard for tackling him hard.

  • lucius
    3:02 PM 17/06/2014

    Red card!

  • danknapp
    8:24 PM 16/06/2014

    Over the top, but kinda funny considering he wasn't hurt badly, but hopefully the next guy won't get nailed quite SO hard. Cracking hit though.

  • guy
    8:01 PM 16/06/2014

    Could have put the bloke in a wheelchair. Imho that tackle was a tad over the top.

    Besides: I like streakers. They're one of the very few nice bits that remain from the amateur days of rugby.