'Leave Aaron alone': Rugby supporters play defence

Despite being disgraced for his public toilet antics with a woman in Christchurch, many fans are playing defence for the world's best halfback.

A man wrote to the NZ Herald yesterday saying that he was at the airport with his wife and young children when they saw Smith "sneak" into a wheelchair access bathroom with a young woman who was not his partner.

Kasandra Kiara-Keisha Meredith says, "It's their problem, not New Zealands. The whole country doesn't need to know where Aaron rests his nutsack at night."

Hundreds of other Kiwis have shared a similar sentiment on Facebook.

"His personal life is just that, personal. It's none of our business if he cheats and none of our business where he chooses to do it," says Suzy Bevins.

Josh Beban addressed the outrage over the incident by saying Kiwis should leave Aaron Smith alone.

"He wins a World Cup he's a hero," wrote Beban. "If he does something human then he's forgotten for all the good."

Others expressed a view that many have made the same mistake, but because they are not in the public eye they are not judged on the same scale as Smith.

"If these girls want to turn it up and the guys are willing to oblige, then I say, it's got nothing to do with anyone else but the two concerned," explained Verona Billing.

Isobel Harris wrote: "These guys are human, not gods. Cut him some slack! It's not like he went on a drunk rampage and hurt people."