A 51-year-old man has been charged over the listening device found in an All Blacks team hotel prior to their Test match with the Wallabies in August last year.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is finding it hard to understand how a man who has worked with his team for the last 10 years is now facing a public mischief charge in relation to the bugging of a Sydney hotel where they stayed.

Bodyguards International director Adrian Gard, 51, has been charged by Australian police over the August incident in which a listening device was found in a hotel conference room used by the All Blacks ahead of a Bledisloe Cup test.

"Frankly, the charge seems bizarre and unbelievable. It's very hard to understand," Hansen said.

SUPPLIED There was not enough evidence in the circumstantial case to convict Adrian Gard of making a false representation resulting in a police investigation.

"The charged man has worked for the All Blacks, and many other organisations, for a long time and is someone who is trusted and well-respected by us," Hansen said.

READ MORE:

* All Blacks cleared in Sydney hotel bugging scandal

* Are All Blacks just being paranoid about 'bugging'?

* ABs comfortable with how they handled bug discovery

REUTERS All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the charge was "bizarre and unbelievable".

Gard was employed as a security consultant by New Zealand Rugby at the time. He had been hired by the All Blacks over the last 10 years to help with security when they had toured Australia.

The security consultant is due to appear in the Waverley Local Court in Sydney on March 21, charged with public mischief.

The charge was defined in Australian law as: "Any person who, by any means, knowingly makes to a police officer any false representation that an act has been, or will be, done" which "calls for an investigation by a police officer".

CHRISTOPHER PEARCE/FAIRFAX AUSTRALIA New Zealand Rugby Union boss Steve Tew outside the Intercontinental Hotel Double Bay after news broke about a bug in the All Blacks hotel room in August 2016.

The motives behind his alleged actions were unclear, but Gard could face a maximum of 12 months imprisonment.

Gard has not returned calls, but his brother Ashley, who was the director of BGI Security – the company Adrian also worked for in the operations department and the company used by the All Blacks – refused to comment when contacted on Tuesday, saying the matter was in the hands of lawyers.

Gard has had his fair share of high profile clients in the past. The company, BGI Security, has been hired by Schapelle Corby, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods and Tara Reid when they have travelled to Australia.

BUG DISCOVERY

The bug was found by All Blacks team officials in the lead-up to the first Bledisloe Cup match at ANZ Stadium.

The All Blacks went on to beat the Wallabies 42-8.

Mark Nolan The bugging incident didn't knock the All Blacks off their stride as they ran out 42-8 winners in Sydney.

At the time, New Zealand Rugby said the device was found in a team meeting room.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver said on Tuesday it was pleasing to have a degree of closure over the incident which gained major headlines on the morning of the first test between Australia and New Zealand.

He also took a swipe at New Zealand Rugby over the timing of the news breaking about the device, given that it had been found in the hotel room much earlier that week.

"On behalf of the ARU, I commend the NSW Police for their ongoing pursuit of this matter and for providing closure with a charge being laid against an individual today," said Pulver in a statement.

"The aspect that still leaves a bitter taste out of this whole affair is that the discovery of the device was reported publicly on game day, when it is understood that the alleged discovery of the device occurred much earlier in the week leading up to the test match.

"Clearly the media attention which resulted from it was a distraction that neither team needed on the morning of a very important test match.

"The ARU and the Wallabies were never accused of any wrongdoing, however it was still important that this matter reached a conclusion to provide complete reassurance to all fans that the organisation and the team had no part in any of this.

"There may be some questions that remain but certainly today's news is welcome news that an individual has been called to account over this incident."

Australian police said in August they only became aware of the "electronic device" via a media report five days after it was originally found.

Rose Bay Local Area Commander Superintendent Brad Hodder said at the time the delay was not ideal.

"We've started an investigation as to what that device is," Sydney policeman Hodder said.

"A delay in any investigation is always tough but we'll look at that information and treat it accordingly. Any offence is serious, we will be looking at all the avenues."

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew said at the time: "The hotel immediately launched an investigation, we have informed the Australian Rugby Union, and jointly we have now decided to hand over the investigation to the Australian police.

"We are taking this issue very seriously, and given it will be a police matter, it would not be prudent to go into further details."

- Sydney Morning Herald, Stuff.