NRL boss offers counselling to NZ woman in Cronulla sex ordeal

David Gallop (right) says there must now be 'massive question marks' over league celebrity Mathew Johns' future in the game. Photos / Getty Images

SYDNEY - The New Zealand woman who spoke of a traumatic group sex ordeal with Cronulla players was today offered counselling by National Rugby League (NRL) chief executive David Gallop as he demanded the sport change its attitudes towards women.

A grim-faced Gallop offered a public apology to the woman, and two others who spoke of their experiences on last night's ABC Four Corners documentary which sent shockwaves through the sport in Australia.

He also said there were "massive question marks" over television personality Matthew Johns' future in rugby league after the woman confirmed his involvement in the 2002 incident.

"Violence against women is abhorrent and sexual assault and the degradation of women is just that," Gallop said.

"So much of what we saw last night was fundamentally indefensible.

"If anyone in the game today is ignoring the importance of that message, then frankly they will need to find another career."

The woman, then 19, sobbed as she spoke of the two-hour ordeal in February 2002 at the Racecourse Hotel in Christchurch in which she had sex with six players - including Johns - and was watched by up to 12 Cronulla players and staff.

The programme said a psychiatrist paid for by ACC later diagnosed her as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She had cut her wrists and had purchased a length of rope.

"If I had a gun I'd shoot them right now. I hate them, they're disgusting. I want them dead, I hate them so much," she told the programme.

Gallop hoped the woman would take up the NRL's offer of assistance.

"To the extent that we can help her, we'd like to help her. We have counselling services available and we have used those services with women in the past," he said.

"If she's in need of help, we'd like to help her."

The woman said she had originally gone to a room with Johns and another player but the situation quickly escalated.

"Every time I looked up there would be more and more people in the room, lots and lots of guys in the room watching, maybe two or three on the bed that were doing stuff to me."

She said she felt "worthless", that the incident had mentally scarred her and she became a recluse in the next "four to five years".

"I was drinking a lot, crying a lot and losing a lot of friends. Doing quite destructive things to myself and to other people.

"I tried to (study) but I couldn't. I just thought I was a useless person. I didn't care about anything, didn't really care what was happening."

She complained to Christchurch police five days later, but after they crossed the Tasman to interview all 30 players and 12 officials who made the trip, no charges were laid.

Detective Sergeant Neville Jenkins, one of the Christchurch officers who investigated the case, told the programme he'd taken several distressed calls from the woman in the ensuing months.

"She was a nice girl. She was young, naive, not worldly, just a growing-up teenager."

Meanwhile, Johns, his wife Trish and their children sought to escape the furore in Sydney as they were pictured in the Daily Telegraph at a Western Australian resort.

Johns is the star of Channel Nine's Footy Show, the face of the NRL's membership campaign and holds coaching advisory positions with several clubs.

"I'm aware that he will be talking to his employer in the next short period," Gallop said of Johns.

"I cannot say any more than he has a massive question mark over his position in rugby league."

Johns admitted involvement in the incident last week, but said the woman gave her consent.

He said he confessed to his wife at the time and said it caused "great pain" to her and their family. He issued a public apology in a written statement, and on the Footy Show.

- NZPA