KEY POINTS:
All Black Sosene Anesi has been charged with assault by Hamilton Police.
It is understood the player allegedly struck a man at a function three weeks ago.
Anesi is also a Commonwealth Games Sevens gold medallist.
The 93kg Chiefs and Waikato fullback/wing appeared in Hamilton District Court on Monday and entered no plea, and was instructed to reappear on January 7, a District Court staff member said.
Waikato rugby chief executive Graham Bowen said the alleged incident was between two men and there was "a bit of history between them so it was "not an out of the blue situation".
He said it happened about three weeks ago on a "mad Monday" at about 1am. It was not a formal team function and there were just a couple of other team members around.
Anesi would face a disciplinary hearing in front of the NZ Rugby Union, which would take place "in the next little while" after the allegations had been handled by the courts.
If Waikato Union was not satisfied with the severity of the punishment, it could also impose a punishment.
Anesi could be offered anger management counselling, Mr Bowen said.
The incident presents another headache for the Chiefs, which has been plagued by publicity over assault charges brought against some of its highest profile players in recent seasons.
In April, Anesi's team mate and All Black winger Sitiveni Sivivatu was brought before the courts to answer a charge of assault against his wife. Sivivatu admitted the charge but was discharged without conviction.
Early in 2006 another Chiefs and All Black player, Sione Lauaki, admitted a charge of assault against a security officer in Hamilton. Lauaki was offered diversion and took it.
Chiefs chief executive Gary Dawson said even though Anesi had been named by the Chiefs he didn't come in to camp until December.
He said he did not believe there was a widespread problem with violence within the franchise.
"It's something we're very concerned about and disappointed in, but I don't think it's such an issue that it's endemic."
Anesi, 26, was pictured beaming on stage at a school fashion parade this week - helping to raise money for Waikato Diocesan school for girls - with the cloud hanging over him kept under wraps by his employers.
The Samoan-born flyer has been a stand out player for Gordon Tietjens successful Sevens rugby teams over recent years, and he helped the team win gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Sizzling form for the Chiefs in 2005 led to his inclusion in Graham Henry's All Black test squad to play Fiji that year.
He debuted at North Harbour stadium for the All Blacks but has been ignored by national selectors since.
However, a severe injury at the beginning of this year's Super 14 curtailed any outside chance for World Cup selection.
Anesi suffered a fracture to his C4 vertebrae in the second round of the competition. The injury happened early in a game and at the time he had no idea of the severity of the spinal damage, playing on the full 80 minutes.
After months of rehabilitation he is set to return for the Chiefs in 2008.
