Former NZ sevens players Steven Yates has reportedly been arrested for cocaine possession in Japan.
According to Japanese network Kyodo News, the 35-year-old, who now plays for Toyota Verblitz, confessed to local authorities that he had cocaine in a plastic bag at his home in Nagoya on Thursday.
All Blacks captain Kieran Read is contracted to join Toyota Verblitz after the upcoming Rugby World Cup, while there are rumours coach Steve Hansen may replace current outgoing coach Jake White.
Yates' arrest is the second involving a Verblitz player in as many weeks, after first-five Ryota Kabashima left a wallet containing cocaine in a taxi.
That arrest saw Toyota withdraw from Japan's Top League Cup and they've issued another statement apologising for the incident involving Yates.
"We sincerely apologise for the continued arrests of our team members," the club said. "We deeply regret that we have caused trouble at a time when Japan will soon host the Rugby World Cup."
Playing predominantly at wing or centre, Yates scored six tries in 17 matches for Canterbury from 2004-07 and made one appearance for the Crusaders in 2006. He was a New Zealand sevens representative in 2007-08, before joining Toyota in 2010 and becoming a Japanese citizen in 2015.
Newshub.
