WhileAndy Haden takes time out on the golf course, is consoled by Paul Holmes and delivers a run-of-the-mill apology, the rest of us debate the issues he has brought to the fore.
Personally, I feel the outcry regarding the term "darkies" misses the point.
Of more concern is whether there is any substance to his accusation that the Crusaders have a quota system when it comes to importing Polynesian players.
The debates and discussions around the "browning" of New Zealand rugby show a level of unsettling redneckness about rugby that refuses to die.
The term "darkies" was used in a tongue-in-cheek (or should we say foot-in-mouth?) way to draw attention to the underlying racial element to the Crusaders' supposed quota system.
Haden has apologised for using the D-word but is sticking to his story that a racial quota exists in the Crusaders franchise.
Bernie Fraser has come out supporting the claims made by his former All Black team-mate, although both of them refuse to disclose their source.
Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach is not placated by Haden's apology, and would rather his franchise is cleared of being labelled racist.
A quick review of the red-and-black team indicates there are more than three Polynesians in its ranks, but the allegations have raised suspicions.
From the outside looking in, the Crusaders camp seems to run like a military operation.
Richard Loe mentioned the team culture is very structured and there is little room for individuality or flair.
If not race-based, I'd say at the least, the Crusaders franchise has an inflexible culture where diversity and plurality are not encouraged.
It is a culture that works in the professional era, and individuals who don't mind toeing the line are welcomed with open arms.
Meanwhile, the continuing discussion about the Polynesian-isation of rugby is tiring.
Are people aware that in the 2006 census, almost 7% of New Zealand's population identified with the pan-ethnic Pacific Island category, which is an increase of 15% since 2001?If we add the Maori statistics (almost 15%) to the mix, the browning of our national game is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing.
Anecdotally, many individuals in rugby struggle to deal with ethnic diversity and hold on to rigid ideas and stereotypes when it comes to Pacific Island and Maori players.
This is nothing new.
Tom Hyde wrote an article in the early 1990s called "White Men Can't Jump" which discussed the issue of the browning of New Zealand sport.
Stereotypical statements made about Polynesian athletes in this article included claims they had no stickability, were naturally superior in talent but lacked discipline, or were unpredictable and innovative.
We don't seem to have moved on much.
Coaches like Graham Henry, however, give me hope.
He has added his two cents worth to the debate and challenged stereotypes by putting Pacific Island players in positions of leadership and decision-making, not because of their race but because they were the best individuals for the job.
New Zealand's population is only going to get more diverse, so rugby needs to move with the times and accept that we no longer live in a monochromatic world.
In 50 years, television has moved from black and white to three-dimensional colour. Can rugby?
