All Black first-five Richie Mo'unga has apologised for his role in the Crusaders' COVID-19 lockdown training session.
On Monday, Newshub filmed Mo'unga and several other players passing rugby balls and completing drills at Christchurch's Malvern Park.
NZ Rugby has condemned the "unacceptable" actions of the players while the country is in quarantine.
The Crusaders insist the session wasn't organised, claiming two 'bubbles' of players were at the park at the same time.
In an Instagram video, Mo'unga revealed the encounter was a total "coincidence", that the players were at the venue at the same time and he was there to train by himself.
"This was not an organised training. There were no communications the night before, saying we should all get together and train at the park together.
"It was by coincidence that I rocked up and they were there training, just finishing up their session."
Mo'unga was filmed passing a ball to teammates, an act the 25-year-old claims was completely "instinctive".
"As I arrived, I yelled at the boys from afar, asking them how they were, then went about my running session.
"As I finished one of my running sessions, the ball had been kicked over and instinctively, I picked the ball up and threw it back to them.
"That was the only interaction I had with them, apart from talking. It was something that was so instinctive for me to do, to throw the ball back to them, I didn't think twice about it.
"It happened so fast, and I've learnt with this whole thing that I need to be more careful and I will be more careful."
Mo'unga then apologised for not calling a halt to the session when he arrived.
"That doesn't excuse the fact that two other bubbles were passing the ball around between each other, and it doesn't excuse that I can be better at being a better role model, and tell the boys they are done and should head home.
"I am sorry for that."
On Monday, Mo'unga announced that he and wife Sophie were expecting their first child later this year.
