In a sad sign of perhaps the changing face of New Zealand, France centre Mathieu Bastareaud was attacked by up to five men in Wellington on Sunday. Bastareaud, 20, suffered a suspected broken eye socket and needed stitches to close facial cuts after the attack.

The attack happened as Bastareaud returned to the team hotel alone having been out for a short time in the city after France’s loss to the All Blacks. The rising star of French rugby was left shocked by the incident and has decided to return to Paris rather than fly with the team to Sydney for next weekend’s Test against Australia.

France team manager Jo Maso said Bastareaud had exchanged words with the attackers before the incident and that the matter would not be reported to the police because the 20-year-old was unable to provide clear descriptions of the men involved.

Maso said: (quote) They (the attackers) abused him verbally and he responded to that, they then piled into him. There were four or five of them. (end quote)

The Stade Francais star was also a member of the France side that beat the All Blacks 27-22 in the first Test on 13 June.

A spokesman for the New Zealand rugby union said it deeply regretted the incident.