A rugby player is facing a contrary conduct charge after being charged with inserting his finger into three players’ anuses during a game.

On-field complaints were made about John Hopoate by Paul Bowman, captain of the Cowboys in North Queensland. The incidents took place during a game at Townsville. Hopoate was later involved in a fight with another member of the Cowboys team.

Hopoate has already pleaded guilty to striking and was banned from playing for 12 weeks. He resigned his position from his team, the West Tigers. Now he is to face the National Rugby League judiciary in Australia. Hopoate has been charged with acting against the true spirit of the game, an offence too serious to have been graded by the NRL.

Cowboys coach Tim Sheens said: ”It was disgraceful and our players should not have to put up with what he did out there.” But West Tigers coach Terry Lamb believes that Hopoate is the target of a smear campaign. He said: "He`s not a bad boy but the league, or the media, are painting him that way."

Hopoate is not the first player accused of inserting his finger in another`s anus. A similar case between an Australian and a British player was heard in 1992.

Meanwhile, the player is suing a New Zealand cancer charity who used photographs of the incidents to publicise prostate cancer checks.