All Blacks Rugby World Cup winning winger Zac Guildford has been accused of staggering naked, drunk and bleeding into a bar where he allegedly assaulted two people.
The incident happened in the small South Pacific nation of the Cook Islands on Thursday night according to a report in the Herald on Sunday newspaper, quoting witnesses.
Guildford, who has a history of problems with alcohol and was publicly reprimanded by the All Blacks management during the recent Rugby World Cup, is in the Cook Islands to attend a friend’s wedding.
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said news of his latest outburst was disappointing and its focus was on helping the player rather than disciplining him.
According to witnesses, he appeared at Trader Jacks Bar and Grill dripping wet, naked and with a gash on his forehead believed to have come from a motorcycle accident earlier in the day.
He then allegedly punched one man who asked if he needed help and then hit another man across the back of the head.
A staff member at the bar confirmed that reports of Guildford “walking into the bar naked, bleeding and assaulting at least one person”, were true but she would not comment further.
Guildford’s mother told the Dominion Post she was aware of the incident but was also not commenting.
The Herald on Sunday said patrons in the bar described Guildford’s behaviour as appalling and a New Zealand woman, identified only as Fiona, said he was extremely drunk.
“His eyes were gone, he was completely out of it,” she said, adding that after the All Black hit her 60-year-old friend, he jumped on to a stage where “he seemed to realise he was naked” and tried to cover himself.
Restaurant staff then rushed to wrap an apron round Guildford’s waist as he bolted into the kitchen.
During the World Cup, the 22-year-old Guildford admitted he had an alcohol problem and said he was taking steps to bring it under control.
NZRU general manager Neil Sorensen told journalists Guildford had been called before the board three times in the past 18 months and they were now trying to establish what happened in the Cook Islands.
“Our first move is to really say ‘how can we help this guy’, that’s the first thing. But we’ve got to establish the facts and it sounds like he got up to something. We are not denying that,” Sorensen said.
Although Guildford was officially on leave, Sorensen said the NZRU still expected players to behave responsibly.
“We go out of our way to help, but at some stage people need to stand up for themselves and make some tough calls.”
November 13th, 2011 at 19:59 SAST
Fark, never have I felt the need to get naked in a bar and go on stage in an innebriated condition….
… Professional Strippers do it all the time though…
So, All Black rugby players are like strippers….
Strange folks, these All Blacks and Strippers…. hehehe
November 13th, 2011 at 20:01 SAST
He does not have an alcohol problem… he drinks is very well, no problem!
He has a mental problem… alcohol makes him go mental !
Hehehe
November 14th, 2011 at 08:05 SAST
Well this comes as no surprise.
November 14th, 2011 at 09:35 SAST
ok ma mens……
ok ma mens……
November 14th, 2011 at 10:03 SAST
You know, the Kiwi is a strange creature. Even if I, and I never would, as I am far too embarrassed to do so, were to be in the habit of getting my kit off, would find it far too cold to do so down in NZ. At least here it is a bit warmer. Equally strange is the whole “dwarf throwing” concept – just imagine what a field day the PC boys and girls would have to say if that was done here!
November 14th, 2011 at 13:15 SAST
so hy kan nou n teevee program maak getieteld the naked winger,miskien kan jamie olivier n gas wees,the naked shef on the naked winger…..uhm nee, eerde the naked winger featering the naked shef
November 14th, 2011 at 14:53 SAST
I’d like to know what he drank! Or didn’t drink… Dumb twat confused the AB’s winning culture with drinking culture.
November 14th, 2011 at 14:59 SAST
I heard that Zac Guildford said he was sorry…
It apparently went something like this:
“I am so sorry for drinking far too much and causing kakkas…. has somebody got 2 head ache pills or babbelaas stuff for me, please?”
November 14th, 2011 at 15:03 SAST
Drinking causes a variety of differing effects on people..
Some people get very friendly…
Some people think they become very clever…
Some people get aggressive, as if drinking karate juice…
Some people get rid of their clothes…
Some people lose all their inhibitions…
Some people cannot control their actions…
Seems Zac did not suffer from the first effect….. hehehe
November 14th, 2011 at 16:00 SAST
A case of “the naked truth”.