Counselling for ex-All Black

Sione Lauaki pleaded guilty to a charge of assault. Photo / Christine Cornege

Former All Black Sione Lauaki is to have alcohol counselling after pleading guilty to punching a man who he thought had stolen his drink.

The 28-year-old Chiefs No 8 yesterday pleaded guilty in the Hamilton District Court to common assault. He was remanded without conviction and is to appear for sentencing on Thursday, May 6.

Lauaki's All Black teammates Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui, Liam Messam and Brendan Leonard were in the public gallery to hear how he had been drinking with friends at Hamilton's Coyote Bar on March 5 about 2am.

The summary of facts revealed that Lauaki began arguing with another man when he could not find his drink.

Lauaki, who had just come off a two-match suspension for a spear tackle in the Super 14 match against the Lions in Johannesburg, asked the man if he had taken his drink.

When the man said he hadn't, Lauaki punched him in the mouth.

Lauaki asked him again, got the same answer and punched the man in the mouth a second time.

The victim, understood to be a young rugby league player from Tokoroa, could not be contacted for comment yesterday but was left with cuts and bruises to the mouth.

Outside the court, Lauaki would not answer questions but made a brief statement.

"I'm really disappointed that I let my family down, my mum and dad down and my teammates down," he said.

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

Hospitality entrepreneur John Lawrenson, who co-owns six Hamilton inner-city bars, said he had "never had one negative incident involving a Chiefs player".

Chiefs chief executive Gary Dawson said an internal disciplinary process would take place once the court process was complete.

He said Lauaki was available for selection to play the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.

Last year, Lauaki attended an anger management course after he was charged with damaging windows and a TV set at a motel. In 2006, he was offered police diversion after assaulting a doorman.