Chiefs Sione Lauaki in trouble again

PETER MEECHAM

SIDELINED: Sione Lauaki was involved in at incident at the Coyote Bar and Restaurant.

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Chiefs and former All Black No8 Sione Lauaki is in trouble again after an early morning incident in a central Hamilton bar.

Police confirmed they were investigating a complaint "following an incident involving a 28-year-old professional rugby player at a central city bar".

It is understood Lauaki was involved in a scuffle with a man at Coyote Bar and Restaurant about 2am yesterday.

Senior Sergeant Greg Dunn said no-one involved in the incident was arrested.

However, the rugby player had voluntarily gone with officers to Hamilton Central Police Station to be interviewed.

"The complainant is still to be formally interviewed at this stage and it is too early to say what, if any, charges may result from that," Mr Dunn said.

Chiefs CEO Gary Dawson confirmed officials were aware of an incident involving Lauaki but refused to give further details.

"We are currently waiting for the Hamilton police to decide what action, if any, they will take over this," Mr Dawson said.

"Until we have further details from the police, we cannot make further comment."

Sources say they saw Lauaki swaying down the road before midnight at least 2 1/2 hours before the incident at Coyote.

"It was quite clear he hadn't just had one drink, let's leave it at that," the source told the Waikato Times last night.

St John Ambulance staff attended to a 20-year-old man with minor injuries outside Coyote Bar about 3am. It was not known if the incidents were linked.

Megan Mahaffey, manager of the Lone Star bar next to Coyote, felt sorry for Chiefs players "who are regularly picked at", especially by "young people looking to pick a fight".

"They were here for a meal on Tuesday night and they were so polite and well behaved – you have to feel sorry for them because they do attract unwanted attention at times," Mrs Mahaffey said.

Hospitality entrepreneur John Lawrenson, who co-owns six Hamilton inner-city bars, also believed Chiefs players were well behaved.

"I have owned many bars over the last few years and I can tell you I have never had one negative incident involving a Chiefs player," Mr Lawrenson said.

Lauaki, who has played 17 tests for the All Blacks and 66 games for the Chiefs, is serving a two-match suspension after being cited for his spear tackle on Lions centre Deon van Rensburg during the Chiefs' 72-65 win in Johannesburg on February 20.

He was filling in as captain in the absence of regular skipper Mils Muliaina in that match.

He is due to return to availability for the Chiefs from next week with the team to take on the Crusaders on Friday night.

Lauaki, who has a partner and three young children, told Waikato Times deputy sports editor Ian Anderson last month that he had made mistakes in the past but was not looking behind him, just ahead to the challenges and excitement that lay ahead for him with the Chiefs.

He said he believed he was now more mature.

"Being young, you're loving to go out and that kind of stuff," Lauaki said.

"The more you get older the more your responsibilities and stuff like that change, you know things that you've got to do," he said.

In 2006, he was offered police diversion after admitting to assaulting a Hamilton security officer and later that year hit a rival player following an argument outside a bar.

Last year, he underwent an anger management course after appearing in court on a charge of wilful damage.

- © Fairfax NZ News