Australia prop Taniela Tupou suffered no major injuries after having his mobile phone snatched out of his hand in a robbery outside the team hotel in Johannesburg’s upmarket Sandton district on Saturday evening.
Tupou had minor scratches from the incident, which came after he had been out for a planned dinner with team mates.
“Last night went out for dinner with the front rowers, it was just outside the hotel and I went back, someone came from behind and took my phone. I thought it was one of the boys so I looked back and he was wearing a hoodie and ran with my phone. I tried to chase after him, he got in the car and I got a bit of a cut but I’m fine. The only thing is I lost my phone but I can live with that,” he told the Australian Rugby website on Sunday.
Police took statements from Tupou and team mates who witnessed the incident but no arrests have been made.
Australia will open their shortened Rugby Championship campaign against South Africa at Ellis Park on Saturday.
