A member of the Barbarians rugby team has been accused of sexual assault. Api Ratuniyarawa, a 37-year-old player, attended a hearing at Cardiff magistrates on Saturday, November 6, facing allegations of sexual assault through penetration and assault through touch. Ratuniyarawa reportedly denied the charges leveled against him, which relate to three women said to have independently experienced sexual assault on the evenings of the 31st October and 1st of November at Revolution bar, situated in Cardiff’s Castle Street. The Fiji international, originally from West Northamptonshire, attended the Barbarians training camp before the scheduled match with Wales on Saturday, November 6.
Peter Hamley, a magistrate presiding over the case, stipulated strict bail conditions that will apply until Ratuniyarawa stands before Cardiff Crown Court on 4 December. These included adherence to an electronic curfew from 7 pm to 7 am, an injunction forbidding Ratuniyarawa from entering Wales except for judicial reasons, a ban on communicating with witnesses, and a prohibition on entering any venue holding a liquor license.
The Barbarian FC, which Ratuniyarawa plays for, stated that it fully helped the South Wales Police with their investigation once they had contacted them. An investigation into the accusations is currently ongoing.
The Barbarians Rugby Football Union was founded in 1890 and is a prestigious invitation-only team with players from different countries. They are notable for their strict adherence to the rules and fair play ethos. Although Barbarians’ previous players have included notable rugby players such as Christophe Dominici, Victor Matfield, and Sergio Parisse, Ratuniyarawa’s arrest has caused him to miss out on the scheduled match
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