Protocol has been broken , honours are bestowed nobody has the right to refuse, also it is stated in the rules for admission that the recipient or "nominee" is not to be informed until one day prior to investiture,and that is by telegram from the Govenor General inviting them to goverment house, shame on John Key over this one. At least they could of kept it under the carpet.
Good on him, it would be very weird to have a 'Sir' packing down in the AB's scrum for the next few years. I'm not sure what John Key was thinking offering it to him while he's still playing.