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Perth - The Brumbies team was met by a large contingent of police officers on their arrival in Perth, ahead of their Super 14 encounter with the Force on Friday - and it wasn't a welcoming party.
While Brumbies coach Andy Friend played down the incident and questioned the need for the number of Australian Federal Police officers that awaited his team, he admitted there was an "incident" on the four-hour flight from the East to the West coast.
Local police met the Brumbies squad at Perth Airport after the flight's pilot complained that some of the players got out of their seats when the seat belt sign was on during turbulence.
Friend described the reaction of the local police as a "little bit over the top".
The Brumbies said it was a matter of six players being "caught short" while strapped into their seats during a long period of turbulence.
"We had a couple of players who stood up when the seat belt sign was on," Friend told The West Australian newspaper.
"The seat belt sign had been on for about three hours.
"We've got big blokes in small seats who needed to go to the toilet. That was it.
"That's an (airline) rule and regulation that they shouldn't do that. We were told that at the end.
"I don't know whether having 30 policemen there was necessary; anyway that's what happened.
"It happened and we just informed our players that if you need to go to the loo next time just press the button and see if the hostess can let you go.
"Thirty policemen for a couple of blokes standing up in an aisle, little bit over the top."
While Brumbies coach Andy Friend played down the incident and questioned the need for the number of Australian Federal Police officers that awaited his team, he admitted there was an "incident" on the four-hour flight from the East to the West coast.
Local police met the Brumbies squad at Perth Airport after the flight's pilot complained that some of the players got out of their seats when the seat belt sign was on during turbulence.
Friend described the reaction of the local police as a "little bit over the top".
The Brumbies said it was a matter of six players being "caught short" while strapped into their seats during a long period of turbulence.
"We had a couple of players who stood up when the seat belt sign was on," Friend told The West Australian newspaper.
"The seat belt sign had been on for about three hours.
"We've got big blokes in small seats who needed to go to the toilet. That was it.
"That's an (airline) rule and regulation that they shouldn't do that. We were told that at the end.
"I don't know whether having 30 policemen there was necessary; anyway that's what happened.
"It happened and we just informed our players that if you need to go to the loo next time just press the button and see if the hostess can let you go.
"Thirty policemen for a couple of blokes standing up in an aisle, little bit over the top."
