Until now their identity has remained a tightly kept secret.  The 'Auckland Four' as they are now being dubbed are four England Rugby players who a New Zealand female claims raped her.  Two of the men are reportedly claiming they had consensual sex with the woman.

Reports out of London suggest that the Rugby union is willing to disclose the identities of the four men involved in order to protect other players.

"The team can't come back (from New Zealand) and nothing happens," Blackett, the Judge Advocate General, told the Sunday Telegraph.

"Something's got to happen and something has to be made public."

The England squad fly home on Sunday after losing the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday.

Police are investigating allegations of a woman, an Auckland bar worker, claiming she was raped by four England Rugby players in the early hours of Sunday morning at the team hotel, the night after England was beaten by the All Blacks at Eden Park. They are yet to receive a formal complaint from the woman.

She was one of several women, including Sophie Lewis, who had been drinking with English players at Auckland nightclub Pony after the game, and later accompanied them back to the Hilton around 4am, reports Miriyana Alexander of the Sunday Star Times.

The woman is believed to have sought medical attention following the evening's event.

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Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com

Originally published June 22, 2008 11:24 am EST