All Blacks troubled World Cup winner exits French club
SPOTLIGHT: Kiwi wing Zac Guildford, who was part of the All Blacks World Cup-winning squad in 2011, has left French division two leaders Nevers.
The 29-year-old, who joined the ambitious ProD2 club last year, has turned out 10 times this season, scoring three tries.
“My time @usonneversrugby has come to an end,” Guildford said on Instagram.
“It’s not the way I wanted things to be but I’d like to thank everyone in Nevers for the support and opportunity especially the president. So grateful for the understanding of the club that I need to be with my family at this time,”
Guildford added: “Before any second hand rumours come out there were no incidents I just have to do this for myself and my family to better my future. Much love to all.”
The wing, capped 10 times by New Zealand between 2009-12, has throughout his career fought alcohol problems he blames on a personal tragedy.
That struck in 2009 when his father Robert died of a heart attack watching from the stands as Guildford and his New Zealand teammates won the Junior World Cup in Tokyo.
It set off a descent from World Cup heroics in 2011 to serious alcohol problems and his eventual sacking from the Canterbury Crusaders in 2014 following, among other things, a naked brawl in the Cook Islands.
Guildford, who most recently played Super Rugby in 2016 for the Waratahs, first went to France to join Clermont, but walked out of a contract with the Top 14 side in 2015 citing “personal reasons”.
Agence France-Presse
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