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Wellington and All Blacks rugby halfback Piri Weepu has been charged with disorderly behaviour after an incident in the capital.
The incident happened early on the morning of September 6, the day before Weepu flew to Brisbane with the All Blacks to prepare for last Saturday's deciding Tri-Nations test against Australia.
The Dominion Post newspaper today reported that All Blacks management were disappointed a player was out late before a major test, and had not ruled out disciplinary action.
Weepu is the second All Blacks halfback to run foul of the law recently, with Jimmy Cowan yesterday pleading guilty in the Invercargill District Court to two charges of disorderly behaviour relating to incidents in Dunedin and Invercargill in May and June.
Cowan was convicted and discharged for jumping on a car in Dunedin, and convicted and fined $300 for an altercation with door staff outside an Invercargill nightclub.
He still faces a charge of disorderly behaviour relating to an incident in Dunedin.
Weepu's lawyer, Tim Castle, who appeared in Wellington District Court on Weepu's behalf this week, told the newspaper he was arrested after banging on a shop window.
"It was a very minor incident. He tried to attract somebody's attention outside a fast food outlet by banging on the window.
"That's all there was to it. That was regarded as disorderly. It really, truly, was minor."
Weepu has entered the police diversion scheme, which allows first-time offenders to escape a conviction in exchange for admitting guilt and completing tasks set for them.
Police accepted his offer to work with disadvantaged youth.
All Blacks manager Darren Shand said the team would wait for the law to take its course.
"But we have already signalled to Piri that we will look at possible disciplinary action under the players' collective employment agreement.
"While it appears to have been an extremely minor offence, we are very disappointed that any player would be out late ahead of a major test match."
- NZPA