Rugby star on assault charge

A member of the Chiefs Super 14 team has been charged with common assault after an incident in central Hamilton early today.

Acting Senior Sergeant Morgan Kutia of Hamilton police confirmed a 24-year-old Waikato sports personality was arrested shortly before 5am.

The man was released before 6am and bailed to appear in Hamilton District Court on January 26.

He was charged with common assault on a 26-year-old man in Victoria St.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) spokesman Brian Finn declined to comment on suggestions the charged man was an All Black.

"We don't comment on anything that's subject to a police investigation."

He would not say if either the police or an NZRU-contracted rugby player had been in contact with the union over an incident.

Chiefs Super 14 chief executive Gary Dawson confirmed the arrested man was one of his players.

"One of our Chiefs players was arrested early this morning," Dawson told Radio Sport.

He had not yet spoken to the player but either he or the team manager would do so today.

Dawson agreed that without the man being named, suspicion fell on other players.

"It does put suspicion on them and one of the things we'll be working through with the player concerned is whether he's prepared to lift name suppression so that it takes focus away from the other players."

Dawson said before any disciplinary action was taken by the Chiefs, the charge had to be proved.

"Until this individual case has gone through the judicial process really it's not something I can comment on at the moment."

- NZPA