Junior rugby player allegedly rapes woman

     
Col. Vishnu Naidoo told The Associated Press that the 22-year-old woman said she was raped at a Cape Town hotel on Friday night or early Saturday morning, hours after the defending champion Baby Blacks lost to host South Africa in the final of the junior World Cup at the city's Newlands stadium.
     
Naidoo said media reports of a gang rape involving four New Zealand players were speculation and "never suggested" by police, but the woman had problems recalling details of the incident.
     
"No one can say whom she's alleged to be raped by at this stage," Naidoo said, adding police had conducted interviews and would rely on ongoing forensic investigations before handing the case over to a prosecutor, who would decide whether to pursue the accusations. No charges have been laid.
     
The New Zealand squad returned home over the weekend after losing its junior world title in a 22-16 defeat to the host country on Friday night.
     
"The (New Zealand) management and team have been fully cooperative," Naidoo said.
    
Naidoo wouldn't say if the alleged rape took place at the team hotel after South African media reported four players were involved in the incident at the New Zealand hotel in the suburb of Newlands, minutes from the rugby stadium.
     
"We are investigating a rape case," Naidoo said. "We have conducted preliminary investigations and interviewed various people and on completion we will forward to a prosecutor."

AP