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New Zealander becomes second Verblitz player arrested for cocaine possession

Steven Yates has become the latest Toyota Verblitz player to fall foul of the law in Japan (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

World Cup hosts Japan have been hit by a second drugs scandal involving the Jake White-coached Toyota Verblitz. It was last week when it emerged that fly-half Ryota Kabashima has been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine, forcing the team to be withdrawn from the Top League Cup.

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Now it has been reported by Kyodo News that New Zealand-born Steven Yates was arrested Thursday on suspicion of also possessing cocaine. The 35-year-old, who gained Japanese nationality in 2015, admitted to possession of a small amount of cocaine found in a plastic bag at his home in Nagoya.

A Toyota club statement said: “We sincerely apologise for the continued arrests of our team members. We deeply regret that we have caused trouble at a time when Japan will soon host the Rugby World Cup.”

Coached by White, South Africa’s 2007 World Cup-winning boss, Verblitz had been scheduled to face Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars at Iwagin Stadium in Iwate Prefecture last Sunday in their first group stage match. However, Toyota reacted to the arrest of Kabashima by suspending the team’s operations.

Cocaine was discovered in Kabashima’s wallet after he left it in a taxi on April 10 while visiting Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. The taxi driver handed in the wallet two days later, and police identified the wallet from Kabashima’s driver’s licence. Kabashima has denied the charges, saying he “doesn’t remember”.

The 28-year-old is an employee of Toyota Motor Corp and is suspected of violating the narcotics control law over the alleged possession of about one gram of cocaine, according to Aichi Prefectural Police.

Toyota finished fourth last season in the Japan Top League and while it is globally rare for an entire team to be suspended for the alleged misdemeanours of individuals, the culture is different in Japan. 

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Ten years ago, Tongan-born winger Christian Loamanu tested positive for marijuana which resulted in Toshiba Brave Lupus withdrawing from a tournament.

WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on what fans can expect in Japan at this year’s World Cup

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C
CO 17 minutes ago
Whose ship has sailed before the first All Blacks squad?

Based on last weekend there should be no Hurricanes loose forwards in the mix, they all seemed poor with the Brumbies once again fantastic at playing and executing as a team. The Hurricanes were also poor in the halves with the ten invisible and Cam Roigard trying to play up tempo, Helter skelter rugby which is what the Brumbies wanted.


Roigards passing was telegraphic with his running game and sniping non existent, Ratima also appears to be getting metronomic, devoid of flair and his ten went invisible as well.


If you can't step up at finals then you need to be punished, yes the blues were poor at times this season but they were right on either the last two games when it really matters.


CWL is a bit larger but both him and Lakai are down on size for an eight and aren't freaks like Savea. Sotutu has to be in the mix and Dalton, but only if they front this Friday night.


However six is an ongoing issue, Josh Beehre could be an answer to the lack of height in the loose forwards at Allblacks level, his driving try to ice the contest through a decent Chiefs pack was raw determination even with support.


As for the previous try being ruled out on the flimsiest of technicalities that highlighted everything wrong with the TMO, it wasn't ‘rabbiting’, his knees dropped one after the other and he then brought his shoulders forward to extend and score, big guys can do that, that's why Sotutu has to be in the mix.


Sititi looked short of a gallop and the Chiefs might be acting a bit too cute with their bench, the coach is saying all the right things but he's in the departure lounge and the signs are there that the Chiefs expected to be the best team in finals simply because they had the best bench.


They're now under the pump and the winner of this year's super final will almost certainly be whoever wins this Friday in Christchurch.

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