All Blacks wing 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.
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 to Agence France-Presse 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. – AFP