Bastareaud still has future in French rugby: Teammate

Shamed French rugby player Mathieu Bastareaud still has a future playing for France, despite admitting he lied about being assaulted in Wellington last weekend, one of his teammates says.

Bastareaud, 20, said he panicked after injuring himself in his hotel room, claiming he was attacked from behind by five men on the street early on Sunday morning who left him with a serious eye injury.

He apologised overnight for lying, saying he had drunk too much following his team's Saturday night loss to the All Blacks and had hit his head on a table.

The amount of coverage of the incident had taken him by surprise.

The French rugby team refused to answer questions about the incident at a press conference in Sydney today.

However, Bastareaud's fellow Stade Francais teammate, Italy captain Sergio Parisse, who is in New Zealand for the test against the All Blacks tomorrow in Christchurch, supported the young man.

"When you are young you make mistakes, but I think Mathieu is going to be a very good player for France," Parisse said.

"Now he is (in) Paris and I've talked with the other guys in Paris and the president (of the club). All the team are very, very close to him."

Earlier, French Rugby Federation president Pierre Camou said disciplinary action would be taken against the player.

Team manager Jo Maso had also apologised, saying the team had also been lied to.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said the New Zealand team had been in similar situations in the past with players making mistakes, and he felt for the people involved in French rugby.

"It's some relief that it wasn't New Zealanders involved in this but let's be honest about this, we're not all squeaky clean all the time and we hope our young guys do make good decisions most of the time.

"Sometimes they don't," Henry said.

A spokesman for Prime Minister John Key said he was disappointed that Bastareaud made up the story, but was pleased New Zealand's reputation as a great place to play rugby had been restored.

Police, who have decided not to charge the player, said Bastareaud's story began unravelling around Tuesday because of a lack of evidence.

Police received CCTV footage from the Holiday Inn showing him entering the hotel early on Sunday morning without injuries. Bastareaud had arrived back at his hotel at 5.22am, but didn't enter his room until 25 minutes later.

Police had asked the New Zealand Rugby Union to discuss the incident with their French counterparts, Inspector Peter Cowan said.

"Due to the serious nature of the allegation and the implications for the reputation of Wellington city, a CIB investigation squad comprising of five officers have been working on the investigation since Monday morning," Mr Cowan said.

"In the light of the outcome of the police investigation and the admissions by Mr Bastareaud, this has been an unnecessary drain on Wellington police investigative resources."

The matter was over and Wellington's reputation as a safe city had been restored, he said.

However, Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast, who had called the "attack" deplorable and cowardly, was not so conciliatory.

She believed the French rugby team and its management had colluded over Bastareaud's story.

Also outraged was the New Zealand Rugby Union.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said that like many New Zealanders, he was disappointed that the player chose to make a false statement and cast a negative light on rugby, Wellington and New Zealand through his deception.

He planned to express his concern to the French Rugby Federation.

- NZPA