I'm innocent claims disgraced Rugby captain

By ALAN PERROTT

A top young Tongan rugby player facing sexual harassment allegations will miss the rest of the world under-21 tournament in New Zealand.

However, team captain Lotu Filipine will be allowed to represent his country again.

Filipine, who has been in hiding for the past week, rang the Herald yesterday to claim he was innocent.

The 19-year-old said he took the blame last Tuesday to save his team after a Wellington woman complained of late-night phone calls and attempts to enter her CityLife Hotel room in Auckland.

When Tongan team manager Viliami Fotu asked Filipine to return to Tonga the next day, he went into hiding with relatives.

Last night, it was decided at a meeting with team management that Filipine would stay with his relatives in Mt Wellington until the tournament was over, then return home with the team.

While he would not play in the tournament, he was given assurances that his future international career would not be affected.

The player told the Herald that he did not make the calls and only came forward after management threatened to withdraw from the tournament unless someone took the blame.

Speaking through an interpreter, Filipine said he felt angry and betrayed. "Because I'm the captain, I felt I was responsible and should take the blame, but I never thought I would be sent home. I just want to play rugby."

He said he expected to be stood down for one game as punishment, but was shocked when told the next morning he was to fly home that afternoon.

While the hotel tracked the calls to the room Filipine shared with his vice-captain, he said they could have been made by anyone as the room was regularly visited by team-mates.

Filipine said Mr Fotu gave him $300 and $T30 and told him to go home and keep quiet until the team returned and the incident could be dealt with.

But after talking to players and family, he decided to stay with relatives and clear his name.

He said he was worried the incident would end his international rugby career and jeopardise a potential professional contract with a Japanese club.

Filipine has been staying with his aunt, Tufui Fonua, who is also related to Mr Fotu.

She said her nephew was almost suicidal as the story had attracted a lot of interest in Tonga. She wanted police to investigate the incident so her nephew could return home in peace.

Mr Fotu would not comment on the claims and stood by his actions, saying two team members had said they were in the room when Filipine made the calls.

The team's legal adviser, Joel Fotu, said Filipine's claims were news to him.