Rugby: Kiwi Steven Yates arrested on cocaine possession, All Blacks captain's future now in doubt

Steven Yates playing for the New Zealand Sevens team in 2008. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand-born rugby player Steven Yates has been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine, the second drugs scandal involving Toyota Verblitz in a matter of days.

Last week first-five Ryota Kabashima was arrested for a similar offence, forcing the team to be withdrawn from the Top League Cup, and now the whole future of the rugby programme is in doubt.

That will be an issue for All Blacks captain Kieran Read, who intends to join the club next year, and possibly for All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, who has been mooted as a replacement for current coach, South Africa's Jake White, next year.

Yates, a former New Zealand sevens player, was arrested yesterday, according to news reports in Japan. The 35-year-old, who gained Japanese nationality in 2015, admitted to possession of a small amount of cocaine found in a plastic bag at his home in Nagoya.

Steven Yates of Toyota Verblitz in action during the Top League Tournament. Photo / Getty Images

A Toyota club statement said: "We sincerely apologise for the continued arrests of our team members. We deeply regret that we have caused trouble at a time when Japan will soon host the Rugby World Cup."

As is Japanese tradition, all of those connected with the club will feel deep shame at the arrests, and particularly in World Cup year.

Coached by White, South Africa's 2007 World Cup-winning boss, Verblitz had been scheduled to face Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars at Iwagin Stadium in Iwate Prefecture last Sunday in their first group stage match. However, Toyota reacted to the arrest of Kabashima by suspending the team's operations. The Yates arrest coming so soon after will horrify all those connected with Japanese rugby.

Cocaine was discovered in Kabashima's wallet after he left it in a taxi on April 10 while visiting Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. The taxi driver handed in the wallet two days later, and police identified the wallet from Kabashima's driver's licence. Kabashima has denied the charges, saying he "doesn't remember".

#StevenYates the second player of Japanese Top League side #ToyotaVerblitz in recent days to be arrested on suspicion of possessing #cocainehttps://t.co/H58h9QP8me

— Kyodo News | Japan (@kyodo_english) June 27, 2019

The 28-year-old is an employee of Toyota Motor Corp and is suspected of violating the narcotics control law over the alleged possession of about one gram of cocaine, according to Aichi Prefectural Police.

Toyota finished fourth last season in the Japan Top League and while it is globally rare for an entire team to be suspended for the alleged misdemeanours of individuals, the culture is different in Japan.

All Blacks captain Kieran Read is set to join Toyota Verblitz while coach Steve Hansen has also been linked to the club. Photo / Getty Images

Ten years ago, Tongan-born winger Christian Loamanu tested positive for marijuana which resulted in Toshiba Brave Lupus withdrawing from a tournament.

This article originally appeared on RugbyPass and was published here with permission.