ByAnthony Woolford, Wales Online
Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou has been attacked and robbed outside the Australia team hotel in South Africa.
A Wallabies spokesperson confirmed the front-rower – known as the Tongan Thor because of his physical prowess during schoolboy rugby in Auckland – was the victim of a “snatch and run” less than 50 metres from where the team is staying in central Sandton, just outside of Johannesburg.
Wales’ World Cup opponents are in South Africa preparing for their Rugby Championship opener next Saturday against the Springboks.
The 135kg front rower was coming back from an organised dinner at a nearby restaurant with eight players when the incident occurred at 9.15pm local time on Saturday.
Tupou, 23, suffered minor cuts to an arm.
Police were alerted.
“On our way back someone just 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 and he got in the car and I got some cuts but I’m fine. I lost my phone but I can live with that.”
Police believe the attack was part of a series of attacks on the same night.
