Police chiefs in the Western Cape have distanced themselves from the Sea Point policeman who accused newspapers of grossly exaggerating reports on the rowdy behaviour of ACT Brumbies rugby players.
Comments in Australian newspapers by Inspector Paul Manuel, who said media reports about the Brumbies' alleged misbehaviour were incorrect and exaggerated, have been used to exonerate the players.
But provincial police spokesperson Riaan Pool said Manuel's comments could not be viewed as a general police view.
On Friday, Manuel - who told Australian rugby authorities that he had not "arrested" five drunken Brumbies in Sea Point in the early hours of Monday - attempted to clarify his remarks.
"We brought them back to the charge office and we did hold them until everything was sorted out, which boils down to taking their freedom away from them. So, technically, they were under arrest," he said. However, they had not been charged.
The Australian rugby players were accused by a taxi driver of refusing to pay their fare and trashing his vehicle.
Manuel said: "At one point, we had to call for reinforcements to get them back to the charge office after they pushed the taxi down the road and ripped the fare meter out.
"If they had not agreed to pay the taxi driver and he had pressed charges, I would have had to read them their rights and charge them."
Meanwhile, the Australian Rugby Union said on Friday it would take no further action against the players. Three players were fined between R1 900 and R5 700 and given two-match suspended sentences. The other two were exonerated with harsh warnings.
Australian Rugby Union general manager John O'Neill said, however, the national governing body would undertake an extensive review of disciplinary and investigation procedures.
Meanwhile, Sea Point police are expected to interview the taxi driver on Monday. The driver alleges that police who took the Brumbies to auto-tellers to draw money short-changed him by R1 000.