New Zealand and Samoa rugby league winger Matt Utai shot in ‘brazen ambush’ in Sydney

A "brazen ambush" extracurricular a Sydney location connected Tuesday has near erstwhile New Zealand and Samoa rugby convention winger Matt Utai successful a superior information successful infirmary aft he was changeable aggregate times.

The 44-year-old, who famously won a National Rugby League title successful 2004, underwent emergency room for gun-shot wounds to his little limb and precocious chest-shoulder area.

"We powerfully judge that this is simply a targeted attack," New South Wales Police Superintendent Rodney Hart told reporters.

"We judge that it was 2 males, a gun-man and a driver of a white, perchance SUV (sports inferior vehicle).

"We are concerned astir this brazen attack."

Utai's erstwhile Canterbury teammate Mark O'Meley said Utai was "breathing OK" while being treated successful hospital.

"Everyone has been connected nan group chat each morning, we conscionable dream he's OK," he said successful comments published by The Australian newspaper.

The incident happened astir 6 a.m. section clip (1900 GMT) connected Tuesday successful nan occidental suburb of Greenacres.

An SUV matching nan explanation of nan 1 progressive successful nan shooting was recovered connected occurrence astatine a adjacent suburb a short clip later.

Police were treating nan incidents arsenic linked and established crime scenes astatine some locations.

Hart said location was nary ongoing threat to nan organization but called for thief from nan nationalist to supply accusation and proviso video of nan incident.

Hart said Utai was not suspected of being progressive successful organised crime.

"He has a mini magnitude of postulation history, but astatine slightest we do judge that he whitethorn not beryllium progressive successful immoderate [criminal] activity," Hart said.

Utai's boy Iziah was convicted of supplier and weapon possession charges successful 2023 and handed an 18-month jailhouse sentence, pinch constabulary alleging he had links to a section organised crime network.

Auckland-born Utai was capped 4 times for New Zealand from 2002-05 and 3 times for Samoa successful 2008.

He scored 85 tries successful a 167-game NRL profession astatine Sydney-based teams Canterbury and Wests Tigers.

Canterbury said successful a connection they were profoundly shocked and saddened by nan attack.

"Our thoughts are pinch Matt and his family during this highly difficult time. We are hoping and praying for his afloat recovery," it said.