Former rugby star Chris Budgen faces extradition to New Zealand on historic rape charge

Former New Zealand rugby union star Chris Budgen may be extradited from the UK to face trial on a 1991 rape charge.

The UK Home Office, which oversees immigration, security and public order, confirmed to the Herald that Budgen appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court on December 2, where he consented to his extradition to New Zealand.

“Therefore, the district judge sent the case to the interior minister to decide whether to order extradition,” a department spokeswoman told the Herald.

“The Interior Minister has two months from the date the case was sent to her to make her decision.”

Budgen, 47, a Royal Welsh Regiment spear corporal, is accused of attacking the woman when she was 18 on the day she played a rugby match in Rotorua.

Police took DNA samples at the time, but could not make a match and the Mirror reported that police also traveled to the UK to take an additional sample in 2015 after advanced tests pointed to a possible link.

Budgen, who was born in New Zealand, had served in the New Zealand Defense Forces before moving to the UK in the 1990s.

There, he served with the Royal Welsh regiment in Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Budgen also played professional rugby for the Northampton Saints and was a key member of the successful 2010 RFU Championship team of the Exeter Chiefs.

He became the oldest try scorer in Premiership rugby history in 2012 when he scored for the Exeter Chiefs 78 days before his 40th birthday.

Budgen retired from professional rugby in 2014.

The Mirror reported that he was detained by the Scotland Yard Extradition Unit at their Hampshire headquarters in December.

As part of the conditions of his bail, he agreed not to go to any international travel center and must report to a police station every weekend.