Two more players named in NRL sex case

Brett Firman (L) and Matthew Johns were teammates in Cronulla's touring squad. Photos / Getty Images

Two more Australian league players have been named as present during the Christchurch group sex incident that has cost TV host Matthew Johns his job.

As the scandal snowballs, an Auckland rape prevention group says it has received several rape and sexual abuse complaints against sportspeople but the women are unwilling to tell police.

Rape Prevention Education director Dr Kim McGregor is calling for New Zealand sports unions to meet with her group to try to prevent sexual assaults.

New Zealand woman Clare told Australian TV programme Four Corners her life had been destroyed by the two-hour ordeal in Christchurch in 2002, while the Cronulla Sharks were touring here.

Clare, 19 at the time, claimed Johns was one of six men who had sex with her in a Riccarton hotel room, and alleged at least 11 were in the room either partaking or watching. Johns has apologised for his part in the group sex incident. Yesterday, former league player David Ninness admitted he went home with Clare but said they did not have sex. Former halfback Brett Firman has also been named by Australian media.

Police interviewed three men at the time, all of whom said the orgy was consensual. No charges were laid.

Former Kiwi rugby league player Hugh McGahan has sympathy for Johns. "There's been wrong doing but I think he has been the fall guy for a lot of other indiscretions not just within the sport of rugby league, but within sport in general."

McGahan went on to say the problem was a societal issue.

"This obviously goes on week in, week out, in the bars in New Zealand.

"Sports stars, musicians, actors, they are targeted. Sports stars have all been through the education process. When will the education process start with the young girls?"

But Kim McGregor said: "We keep blaming women for 'getting themselves raped'. They are not 'getting themselves raped' - they are raped by offenders."

Her Auckland-based rape prevention group called for the New Zealand Rugby League and New Zealand Rugby Union to discuss player education with her members.

She applauded Australian NFL's dealing of the sex scandal and subsequent action.

Former Kiwis coach Frank Endacott believes women approached players about previous liaisons "because they smell some money at the end of the rainbow".

He said players were warned about the impact of public and media scrutiny on their lives.

"There's a lot of temptation out there and you've just got to be aware of them."

Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah believed New Zealand players were mostly well-behaved. "We have the odd incident with drinks, not turning up to training, the things you would expect in any sport."

All NRL players sign contracts with code of conduct clauses and undergo training on behaviour.

But at the end of the day, clubs cannot manage their lives, Scurrah said.