Rugby: World Cup-winning Black Ferns star Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali pleads guilty to drink driving

Victoria Samata Subritzky-Nafatali in action for the Black Ferns in 2016. Photo / Photosport

A star of the Black Ferns World Cup-winning team has admitted to drink-driving and can now be named again.

Victoria Samata Subritzky-Nafatali, 28, was charged with the offence and the case was first called in the Dunedin District Court last month, where no name suppression was sought.

Despite her identity and details of the allegations being published in the Otago Daily Times, Community Magistrate Simon Heale suppressed her name at the request of duty lawyer Noel Rayner.

Mr Rayner told the court there may be repercussions for Subritzky-Nafatali, including the possible loss of sporting contracts and financial incentives they carried.

The ODT made submissions against the granting of suppression but Mr Heale made the order, which lasted until this week.

Subritzky-Nafatali - listed in court documents as a teacher aide - pleaded guilty to drink-driving and her counsel, Ann Leonard, confirmed there were no grounds for continued name suppression.

The court heard there would be an application for discharge without conviction at sentencing next month.

The defendant, who played a key role in the Black Ferns' 2017 Rugby World Cup triumph in Ireland, was in Castle St early on May 27.

Police were called to an "incident" involving the Nissan Subritzky-Nafatali was driving and breathalysed her.

After she failed the roadside test, she underwent evidential procedures at Dunedin Central police station which gave a result of 600mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath — more than twice the legal limit.

She refused to comment when officers questioned her.

After the Black Ferns' 41-32 victory over England in the World Cup final, Subritzky-Nafatali was named in the tournament "dream team".

The defendant first played provincial rugby for the Otago Spirit as a 15-year-old in 2007 and made the first of her 19 Black Ferns appearances five years later.

She won the Farah Palmer Cup - the national provincial championship - playing for the Counties-Manukau Heat in 2015 and represented Northland last year while studying carpentry in the Far North.