Kiwi 'victim was not drunk'

Cape Town - A woman who accused a New Zealand Under-20 rugby player of raping her was not drinking, national police said on Tuesday.

"I never said she was drinking," Colonel Vish Naidoo said, following a report claiming the woman had told police she had been drinking.

"The woman had little or no recollection of what had happened. It is in keeping with a crime of that nature, it can be expected. We are offering her therapy."

He also reiterated that only one player, and not four as some media reports suggested, was the subject of investigation.

Police were called to a Cape Town hotel on Saturday morning when a 22-year-old woman claimed one of the "Baby Blacks" had raped her. Forensic experts arrived on the scene soon after to scour for samples.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said in a report on Independent Online that one player, and possibly also a team-mate who was rooming with him, had provided DNA samples to police.

Naidoo refused to divulge any details of the investigation and said no charges had been laid.

He said Kiwi rugby chiefs had co-operated during the preliminary investigation and he was certain they would continue to do should the need arise in future.

The team flew back to New Zealand at the weekend after losing 22-16 to the Baby Boks at the Newlands Stadium, in the final of the IRB Junior World Championship on Friday evening.