Rugby league-Former New Zealand winger Utai shot in 'brazen ambush' in Sydney

Former New Zealand and Samoa winger Matt Utai is in hospital after being shot outside a Sydney home on Tuesday.



The 44-year-old, who won a National Rugby League championship with Canterbury in 2004, had emergency surgery after suffering multiple gun-shot wounds, Australian media reported.



Utai's former Canterbury teammate Mark O'Meley said he was "breathing OK" while being treated in hospital.



"Everyone has been on the group chat all morning, we just hope he's OK," he said in comments published by The Australian newspaper.



Police said they were investigating reports of a "public place shooting" by occupants of an sport utility vehicle in the western suburb of Greenacre at about 6 a.m. local time.



The car was found on fire at a nearby suburb a short time later.



"Police have established crime scenes at both locations with Bankstown detectives commencing an investigation and treating both incidents as linked," a police statement said.