Briton charged after alleged attack that left Australian rugby sevens captain with fractured skull

A British man has been charged with assault after an incident that reportedly left Australia’s Commonwealth Games rugby sevens captain with a fractured skull.

James Stannard has been ruled out of the games after he was rushed to hospital following the incident outside a Sydney kebab shop in the early hours of Friday morning.

The 22-year-old unnamed suspect allegedly floored Stannard with a single punch during the “unprovoked” attack.

Stannard, 35, hit his head on the pavement and was taken to hospital, where he was reportedly diagnosed with a fractured skull but it said to be in a stable condition.

The alleged attacker tried to flee the scene after the incident, but was apprehended by witnesses – said in some reports to include the team’s coach Andy Friend and Stannard’s teammates Lewis Holland and Ben O’Donnell – until police arrived.

According to local reports, Stannard had been out for dinner with team mates ahead of the Gold Coast games in five days.

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Inspector Steven Egbers, of New South Wales police, told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Two men were talking with each other, seemingly having a nice conversation, and then one of the males has punched the other male in the head area, causing him to fall to the ground, and he’s hit his head in the pavement.

“When he fell to the ground he’s done some damage to the side of his head, and the offender ran off.”

Police said the incident happened at about 3.10am outside a kebab shop in Coogee, a coastal suburb of Sydney.

Stannard was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in the city centre where he was understood to be “in a stable condition with head injuries”.

“The 22-year-old British National was taken to Maroubra Police Station and is being charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm,” the force said.

The Briton has been bailed on “strict” conditions until an appearance at Waverley Local Court on April 19, police said.

Rugby Australia said it was “aware of an incident which has resulted in the hospitalisation of Australian Men’s Sevens player James Stannard in Sydney overnight”.

“Rugby Australia is working with NSW Police to investigate the matter and will provide a further update later today.”