Biffo often part of a good night out in South Africa

The only surprise about the latest episode of rugby players getting into strife in South Africa was that the Hurricanes were belting each other.

Jerry Collins and Lome Fa'atau whacking each other in a Bloemfontein nightclub was a variation on a theme which has become more prevalent in the Republic.

On the same night, Bulls loose forward Danie Rossouw was charged with assault for belting a patron in a pub near Johannesburg.

That story carried little prominence and the charge was dropped after the complainant had a meaningful discussion with Bulls management.

Fisticuffs among the Hurricanes was a more juicy tale for the locals and New Zealand rugby followers, even though it was not the first time team-mates have brawled.

When the All Blacks made their first trip back to South Africa after isolation ended in 1992, several forwards had to be separated after the Ellis Park test victory. It was a decent stoush but in a private area at the hotel.

There have been many others like the 1980 incident in Australia when halfback Mark Donaldson cracked his jaw during a scuffle on the All Black bus.

He stayed on tour, played another game to protect skipper Dave Loveridge for the first test, redamaged his jaw and was invalided out of the tour.

In 1999 the Blues happened to be staying in the same Cape Town hotel as the Chiefs.

There was all sorts of drama with the Blues who were in the midst of their rebellion against coach Jed Rowlands. A number of players from both teams were near the foyer and hotel bar when Chiefs utility Bruce Reihana, for no apparent reason, went over to another group and king hit an oblivious Blues forward.

Those sorts of private scraps were hosed down because they occurred in-house or went unreported because the media were invited and compromised witnesses to the high jinks.

But there have been enough other incidents in South Africa to warn players about the nightlife.

Controversy marred the Hurricanes visit to Durban in 1997 when wing Roger Randle was accused of raping a South African woman, a charge dropped after DNA testing.

Five years later some New Zealand Colts were forced to flee from gun-toting patrons after being evicted from a Johannesburg nightclub.

Several players including Jimmy Cowan and Lifeimi Mafi were pistol-whipped during the fracas that boiled over in the nightclub carpark.

South African journalist and former Springbok liaison officer Mark Keohane suggested some naivety on the part of the visiting rugby players. Booze was cheap, the women were attractive, players were hero-worshipped and that developed a jealousy among the locals.

"You put that into the mix and you have one explosive cocktail," he said.

"The players are better known in South Africa than New Zealand and they under-estimate this.

"They think they are anonymous but their every move is scrutinised and once the alcohol starts flowing, the boundaries between hero-worship and trouble becomes skewed."

New Zealand teams and the All Blacks have consistently lectured their squads about the perils of life away from the hotel or training fields.

They demand players go out in groups, attend bars or restaurants vetted by locals and are extra-vigilant about possible strife.

When local bravado meets rugby visitors and alcohol is involved, the potential for trouble escalates. Just ask the Aussies. Wendell Sailor was the latest victim when he shoved a fan and vomited outside a Cape Town nightclub.

Sailor said he under-estimated his "celebrityness" and all he wanted to do was have a few beers but the locals pestered him about rugby.

Several drunk Brumbies were involved in a taxi-knapping case in 2000 when the locals were happy to dob in the visitors.

Last year Sailor, Matt Henjak, Lote Tuqiri and Matt Dunning were dealt with after a late night out on the booze turned nasty. Henjak was sent home, Sailor suspended and sent home this year for his repeat offence.

The message for top players is: go out in South Africa and you will be recognised. Get into trouble and the drama will find its way into the papers.