Racial taunts may have triggered rugby players' scuffle

11.45am

New Zealand Colts rugby players involved in a scuffle outside a South African nightclub may have been victims of racial slurs, the rugby union said today.

New Zealand Rugby Football Union chief executive David Rutherford said while the team had been briefed on heckling they could expect when in South Africa, some players may have reacted to comments made to them.

"There's been suggestions about (race being an issue). We'll listen to what's gone down," Mr Rutherford said on National Radio today.

"It wouldn't be surprising in that part of South Africa for Polynesian or Maori players to suffer some sort of local taunting.

"But it wouldn't excuse any sort of reaction. That's the very sort of thing they've got to be aware of."

The New Zealand Under 21 World Cup rugby team were involved in fighting outside the Nite Fever club in Johannesburg on Friday night.

Shot were fired and team members were injured after being asked to leave the club, where they were drinking after the final game in the World Cup.

NZRFU said a full investigation would be carried out after the team arrived back in Auckland about midnight tonight.

It appeared the worst injury was suffered by Southland halfback Jimmy Cowan, who was knocked out twice and received two black eyes. He was carried to the team's hotel by an Italian player.

Wellington No 8 player Thomas Waldrom hurt his ankle fleeing the fracas.

Others received minor injuries, team manager Sean Fitzpatrick said, but no one was hurt by shots that were fired during the fighting. Some players were hit over the head by the gunman, receiving bruising.

Fitzpatrick said the team had been asked to leave the nightclub prior to the incident, but he gave no further details.

"He (the gunman) fired a couple of shots in the air. The guys scattered everywhere but a few got caught," Fitzpatrick said.

"Everyone is safe. No one was seriously injured -- just a few cuts and bruises."

Fitzpatrick said the players were shocked and it was unclear what had sparked the incident.

Mr Rutherford said the New Zealanders had been asked to leave but he did not know why.

He said the players and a group of other male and female New Zealanders at the club all left together.

After getting into the team minivan, the players and the other New Zealanders were attacked by the man with the handgun. Some of the players had spoken to the man earlier in the evening.

When the melee erupted some "... of the players stayed in the minivan and shielded the remaining New Zealanders and, as a result, were assaulted".

Mr Rutherford said all the New Zealanders made it back to their hotel safely, thanks to the assistance of passing motorists who hurried them into cars.

Nightclub manager Mitchell de Klerk said the team had been at the club on Tuesday and were asked to leave then. They returned on Friday and were again asked to leave.

"... the New Zealanders seem to have a behavioural issue. They were harassing women. It was generally a dog show," he told Reuters.

Mr de Klerk said about 10 players who had been drinking were asked to leave about 3am after they became rowdy and started bumping into people.

"Initially they were hesitant so we walked them outside -- not forcefully, they walked on their own accord," he told South Africa's Sunday Times.

"I went back inside to check on the club and about 10 minutes later all hell had broken loose."

But Mr Rutherford disputed that claim, saying: "We haven't had that allegation made by anyone but the nightclub owner. The police haven't said that to us."

Johannesburg police spokeswoman Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said the New Zealand players got into a scuffle with the club's security team and a group of unknown men who came to help the bouncers.

"Two other vehicles arrived in the parking area. A group of men then emerged from these vehicles and tried to assist the bouncers and it's not clear what happened next," she told National Radio today.

"But a fight broke out between all the different people. What happened then was that some of the patrons came out and took part in the fighting that went on. It is also said that some shots were fired."

The gunman, who fired at least five shots, reportedly hit several players with the butt of his gun, and smashed the windows on their minivan.

More than five empty cartridges were found at the scene.

Despite the police investigating the incident, none of the parties wanted to lay charges, Ms Martins-Engelbrecht told NZPA earlier.

"It isn't unusual in situations like this," she said.

Mr Rutherford acknowledged today the players may have been "bumping and pushing" others in the club, prior to be booted out. He did not deny there were women involved.

"They were also protecting some females who were in the van, who were New Zealanders who were thrown out with them. We're certainly not taking as gospel the word of the South African nightclub manager," he said.

"There was an announcement across the PA that all New Zealanders were to leave the premises and a lot of New Zealanders who were not associated with the team also left.

"Things got ugly outside, we're not sure if any people were trying to get back in or not."

While none of the team's management were at the night club, their South African liaison manager was there.

Mr Rutherford said "it is possible" protocols outlined to the players before they left home were not followed.

Players from other World Cup teams were at the nightclub but apparently not involved.

- NZPA