RUGBY star Lesley Vainikolo told a court he punched a man to protect himself after he was "scared" and "intimidated" by his aggressive and threatening behaviour.

The 6ft 2in, 17.5st player punched Jake Alicker once to the head a short distance from the Second Bridge nightclub in Bath in the early hours of October 26 last year, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The Gloucester RFC player, who lives in Cheltenham, is charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Taking the witness stand dressed in a blue suit, with blue checked shirt and pink tie, Vainikolo told the jury he was out in Bath with fellow rugby players after scoring two tries for his club earlier in the day against Newport Dragons.

After a "good" night he left the Second Bridge nightclub in the early hours of the morning "feeling happy" and signed autographs and chatted to fans in the street, the court heard.

Vainikolo said he then walked away from the club alone after losing his friend and then club teammate Olly Barkley, at whose home he was staying.

Answering questions from defence counsel Mark Milliken-Smith, Vainikolo said: "When I was walking away I could hear people at the back shouting. They'd had too much to drink."

The winger said a group swore at him and he told them to leave him alone.

"I was scared," he said. "They were getting aggressive and they were behind me. The voices were getting closer and closer.

"I continued walking. They continued shouting.

"They were getting closer and closer, so then I turned round. I was scared and intimidated. They were right behind me, two of them just in front of me. They were right there so I hit him."

Vainikolo said his action was to protect himself.

Cross-examining Vainikolo, prosecutor William Hunter asked him if he was a man capable of looking after himself.

Vainikolo said: "On the pitch, yes. Off the pitch, no."

Mr Hunter asked why he did not run away when he heard the voices behind him.

Mr Hunter went on: "You misinterpreted what was said. You overreacted, because of the amount you had to drink. You had no good reason to punch him in the face."

Mr Hunter asked Vainikolo if he gave a false name to police because he knew he had "no excuse" for what he had done.

Vainikolo replied: "I thought the cops were from Bath and would look after a Bath player. It's a real tight-knit community. It was stupid of me."

Proceeding