21 May 2019

More claims of Crusaders bad behaviour emerge in South Africa

From Morning Report, 8:10 am on 21 May 2019

More claims of poor behaviour by Crusaders players have emerged in South Africa.

This morning RNZ has spoken to a woman who alleges a player who she later identified as All Black Richie Mounga spat beer on her and a friend, and touched her inappropriately after the Bulls match on May 11.

In other claims against the Crusaders, the South African men who accused some Crusaders rugby players of threatening and homophobic behaviour have gone to the police in an attempt to get footage of the incident.

Alex Paterimos and his friend Jeremy say they were laughed at, threatened and mocked by a group of men using homophobic slurs, high voices and limp-wrist gestures while at a McDonald's restaurant in Capetown.

They say they subsequently discovered these men were members of the Crusaders rugby team and a South African security manager.

Crusaders management will meet players today to discuss the allegations - which they are denying.

In a statement Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said the three players, team management and the South African-based security advisor with them, strongly reject the account of what happened.