According to police the former All Blacks forward Jerry Collins has been arrested in Japan on charges of illegally carrying a kitchen knife in a department store.
The 32-year-old, who played for New Zealand in 48 international games from 2001 to 2008, including the 2003 and 2007 World Cups, was arrested on Saturday in the central industrial city of Hamamatsu.
According to press reports, Collins caught a security guard's attention when he went behind a sales counter at the store and when approached, the New Zealander pulled out the 17-centimetre blade from his pocket and placed it on the counter.
It is illegal to have weapons with blades longer than 15 centimetres without police permission in Japan.
Collins apparently told police that he "kept the kitchen knife for self-defence".
Collins played for Yamaha Jubilo in Japan's Top League from 2011 and left the team last month when his two-year contract expired.
