A court has heard the All Blacks only decided to alert police about a listening device being found in the team's Sydney hotel five days after the discovery, once they knew the story was going to break in the press.
All Blacks security guard Adrian Gard has pleaded not guilty to a charge he made a false claim to police by reporting the bug had been found.
It is alleged a bug was found in a chair in the team's meeting room at the Intercontinental in Double Bay, before last year's opening Bledisloe Cup match.
The former general manager of the Intercontinental hotel in Double Bay, Paul Walters, told the Downing Centre local court he was called to a hotel room with All Blacks team manager Darren Shand and Gard at 5.20pm on Monday August 15, 2016.
"They told me that had found a listening device and showed me said device," Mr Walters said.
"I said, 'Would you like me to contact police?' Mr Shand requested I do not contact police."
Mr Walters said he asked Mr Shand three times in the days after the listening device was found if they wanted to make it a police matter.
"I suggested again to Mr Shand, he said, 'no'," Mr Walters said.
It was not until Saturday, game day, the team decided to make it a criminal matter.
"I woke [on Saturday] to a missed call from Mr Shand," Mr Walters said.
"I called him back, shortly after 9:00am.
"Mr Shand advised the news of the bugging would hit the press in 15 minutes and they were happy to get the police involved."
The All Blacks dismantled the Wallabies 42-8 that night just 12 hours after the details of the listening device emerged.
