The French rugby team farewelled a mentally and physically scarred Mathieu Bastareaud today, but insists his bashing in Wellington won't provoke any anti-New Zealand sentiment.
Prime Minister John Key has expressed concern and emphasised it was an isolated incident.
Assistant coach Emile Ntamack said the 20-year-old centre was badly shaken after his early morning assault by up to five men in central Wellington. He had been celebrating after the France side won the Dave Gallaher Trophy despite losing to the All Blacks 14-10 on Saturday night.
He headed home today, his injuries deemed too severe for him to be considered for Saturday's test against the Wallabies in Sydney.
Ntamack confirmed Bastareaud had been cleared of a fractured eye socket, but still had heavy bruising and several stitches to a cheek.
"There is bruising about the eye, but to be in a fight like that was a big fright for him. His mind is not ready to come back into the squad and play another game next Saturday," Ntamack told reporters in Sydney.
"His injuries are not very important. He hasn't broken any bones, but in the mind... he's a young player, only 20 years old, so maybe he needs time to come back. He is upset, yes."
Ntamack said the dreadlocked Bastareaud, who is of West Indian origin, was wearing his French blazer when he was confronted by the group on the street around 3.30am on Sunday, but didn't think the attack was racially motivated.
"It was just bad luck for him. It was late at night, he came back to the hotel and there was a group of maybe five people. I think they were drunk."
French team management sent a letter to the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) but didn't lodge a complaint with police because Bastareaud didn't see his attackers.
Police said they spoke with Bastareaud today, but his recollection of the attack was bleary.
Wellington area commander Inspector Pete Cowan said it was possible one of the attackers may have recorded the incident on a cellphone and police were monitoring the internet in case any footage surfaced.
The attack happened in Featherston Street.
"It was the night of a major rugby event and many people were in the city celebrating," Mr Cowan said.
"There are people out there that must have seen what happened."
Police were particularly interested in hearing from the driver of a car who stopped near the assault as it happened and appeared to make a cellphone call before driving off.
Ntamack, who tasted a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand as a player in 1994, made a point of stressing the incident hadn't soured their view of the country.
"I say again, I don't want to see a problem between the French and New Zealand people. It was just unlucky.
"The same thing can happen in France, in Paris, different places in the world."
Still, it was the second time French players were targeted during the two-test tour after they spoke of plastic bottles being thrown at them from the crowd as they celebrated victory in Dunedin.
Ntamack admitted the incidents were disappointing but felt they were isolated.
"They were very disappointed with the result of the game (in Dunedin) maybe. The reaction of certain fans was stupid. It was a shame there were very bad reactions.
"You could compare rugby with what happens in football, but we know in rugby there are stupid people too, we know that."
Rugby World Cup organisers said they would take the attack into account when deciding what security measures would be put in place during the tournament in 2011.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 general manager for tournament services Nigel Cass told NZPA they were working with police on the development of high-level security framework for the World Cup tournament.
Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said she would write to the French team, expressing her regret at the attack.
Mr Key said the incident was regrettable.
"From time to time you will get isolated incidents that reflect badly on either the public or on New Zealand potentially, I don't think we should blow this out of proportion," he said.
"And as a general rule I think you've got to say rugby followers who come to New Zealand have a good experience... I'd hate to think that this would in any way tarnish our reputation given we've got the Rugby World Cup coming up in 2011."
