The former All Black lock Ali Williams and former Australia back James O’Connor have been arrested in Paris after allegedly trying to buy cocaine near a nightclub.

Confirming media reports, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Williams and O’Connor were arrested at around 3am local time on Saturday.

Williams, who won the 2011 World Cup with New Zealand, currently plays with French club Racing 92. O’Connor is contracted to another Top 14 club, Toulon.

Racing 92 said in a statement that Williams has been suspended as a precautionary measure and also apologised to fans for the incident. “If the investigation confirms [Williams’s] possession of cocaine and the transaction, it would not only be a crime under the law but also a serious mistake in view of our ethics,” said the club, while adding that Williams deserved the presumption of innocence.

The Toulon president, Mourad Boudjellal, said he would wait until he spoke to O’Connor, who is off-contract at the southern club in July and had recently been attempting to negotiate a new contract with the club, before making any further move on his future.

The arrests came only days after another former All Black, Dan Carter, was forced to apologise for “a massive error of judgment” after he allegedly failed a drink-driving test in France. Carter also plays for Racing 92, the defending French champions.

