All Black star Kaino guilty of drink driving
Jerome Kaino will face a New Zealand Rugby Union misconduct hearing after pleading guilty to drink driving.
The 25-year-old All Blacks loose forward was fined NZ$800 (€383.10), banned from driving for six months and ordered to play NZ$130 (€62.25) costs after entering a guilty plea in Auckland District Court today.
Kaino, who played in Saturday's 30-28 defeat to South Africa in Dunedin, was charged with driving with excess alcohol after being involved in a minor nose-to-tail accident in Auckland last month.
He was breath tested and found to be more than twice the legal limit.
Outside the court Kaino told reporters: "I take full responsibility for my actions. I totally regret what's happened.
"I hope to push it all behind me and get on with life."
An NZRU spokesman confirmed the misconduct hearing would take place within the next two to three weeks.
The All Blacks' next Tri-Nations match is on July 26 against Australia in Sydney.
Earlier this month, scrum-half Jimmy Cowan was found guilty of serious misconduct after being charged with three separate counts of disorderly behaviour relating to booze-fuelled incidents in Dunedin and Invercargill.
He was fined NZ$3,000 (€1,437), banned from drinking alcohol and told to seek alcohol counselling as condition of his ongoing employment.
