A jury has heard conflicting versions of how a man ended up toothless and bleeding after tackling Northland rugby star and former All Black Rene Ranger outside a pub.
Ranger is on trial in the Whangarei District Court on two counts of injuring Jason Dick with intent after Mr Dick was left unconscious outside Mangawhai Tavern in August, 2009.
Mr Dick had earlier denied tackling Ranger outside the tavern, telling the court via video link from Australia:
''Why would I want to tackle someone twice my size?''
Yesterday, the jury heard from two witnesses who said they saw a man tackle Ranger, but they differed on
what happened next.
Te Korito Kapea, 30, said Mr Dick fell, but Shannon Halloran stated Ranger punched and kicked Mr Dick.
Mr Kapea said he was in his car outside the Mangawhai Tavern
when a "young fella" tried to tackle Ranger. Mr Dick fell "flat on his face" and "kissed the ground".
Mr Dick lost two front teeth, needed stitches to his forehead and ripped tendons in his kneecap in the incident.
However, Ms Halloran, who was at the tavern with Natasha Sosich, said she saw Mr Dick play-tackle Ranger, who then punched him and kicked him in the head.
Mr Kapea said that after the incident a woman - later identified as Crown witness Ms Sosich - had been "up in his [Ranger's] face" and abusing him.
Mr Kapea said Ms Sosich tried to convince him he had seen Ranger punch Mr Dick. "She was trying to make me change what I saw."
Cross-examined by Ranger's lawyer, Arthur Fairley, Ms Sosich was asked if she had fabricated her version of events after being rejected by Ranger.
"You deny that you have expressed in any way, shape or form that you had a sexual interest in Mr Ranger?"
"Definitely," she replied.
Mr Fairley said
she had an "axe to grind" with Ranger that night.
The trial continues.