Man assaulted by Ranger 'fell flat on his face'

Rene Ranger in court. Photo / APN

A man allegedly assaulted by Blues player and former All Black Rene Ranger ended up "kissing the ground" when he tried to tackle the rugby player outside a Northland pub, a witness has told a court.

Te Korito Kapea, 30, told Ranger's trial in Whangarei District Court that he was at Mangawhai Tavern on the night Ranger allegedly assaulted chef Jason Dick, 28.

Mr Kapea said he had gone to the tavern to watch a band.

When it finished, he got back into his car and was waiting for friends when he saw a "young fella" run at Ranger and attempt to tackle him.

Mr Kapea said Mr Dick fell "flat on his face" and "kissed the ground".

"He didn't even have time to put his hands on the ground."

Mr Dick lost two front teeth, needed stitches to his forehead and ripped tendons in his kneecap in the incident.

Mr Kapea said that following the incident a woman outside the tavern started abusing Ranger.

"It was like she was on heat. It was coming from all angles."

Mr Kapea said the woman - later identified as Crown witness Natasha Sosich - was "up in his [Ranger's] face".

Mr Kapea said Ms Sosich tried to convince him that he had seen Ranger punch Mr Dick

"She was trying to make me change what I saw. That's what she was trying to do."

This morning under cross-examination from Ranger's lawyer, Arthur Fairley, Ms Sosich was asked whether she had had fabricated her version of events on the night of the alleged assault, 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 Ms Sosich told her flatmate that Ranger would never be an All Black and that he would "go down".

He said that on the night of the alleged assault, Ms Sosich had an "axe to grind" with Ranger.

Shannon Halloran, who was at the tavern with Ms Sosich, said she saw Mr Dick "play-mate tackle" Ranger, who responded by punching him to the ground and kicking him in the head.

The trial continues.