Former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai is reportedly fighting for his life after being involved in a shooting in Sydney’s south-west this morning.
The Sydney Morning Herald says emergency services were called to Macquarie Street in Greenacre around 6am where Utai, 44, was discovered with gunshot wounds tohis chest and leg.
He has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition.
Police say an SUV drove past the home before shots were fired from the vehicle, striking Utai at least twice.
Utai was born in Auckland and went on to play 167 NRL games, and was part of the Canterbury Bulldogs’ 2004 NRL Premiership winning side.
Utai also played four tests for the Kiwis and three for Samoa.
Former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai is reportedly fighting for his life after being involved in a shooting in Sydney's south-west this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Photosport
New South Wales police say they were called to a house on Macquarie St, Greenacre around 6am following reports of a shooting.
“Officers attached to Bankstown Police Area Command attended and were told a man had been shot outside a home by the occupants of an SUV before it drove away,” a statement said.
”The man – aged 44 – was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics for multiple gunshot wounds before being taken to hospital in a serious condition."
Police say they were then called to a nearby address 2.5km away following reports of a car fire.
Police attended and found an SUV well alight.
“The fire was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW and the car was seized for forensic examination,” the statement added.
New Zealand's Matt Utai passes to Paul Rauhihhi during the 2005 Anzac test. Photo / Photosport
“Police have established crime scenes at both locations with Bankstown detectives commencing an investigation and treating both incidents as linked.”
Crime scenes have been established at both locations and police are treating the incidents as linked.
The former NRL winger is not believed to be the intended target of the shooting, according to Australian news outlets.
Police and forensics on the scene investigating Macquarie St in Greenacre after a shooting took place this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Gaye Gerard
Utai made his NRL debut in the 2002 season, where he would scored 13 tries in 21 appearances and later win the Rookie of the Year award.
In 2004, he helped the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs win the NRL Premiership, scoring two tries in the grand final in a 16-13 win over the Sydney Roosters.
He would finish up with the Bulldogs in 2009 with 127 appearances.
