NEW Worcester Warriors coach Mike Ruddock was punched by a cage fighter in an alleged bar-room assault.

The Welsh rugby hero, who was with his wife Bernadette on a night out, was left nursing a black eye after being hit in the face by a man said to be a professional brawler.

The man who led Wales to the grand slam stepped back into the big time at Sixways last week.

Mr Ruddock - who was honoured with an OBE for his 2005 win - was left with a shiner during a Saturday evening out in his hometown of Mumbles three weeks ago.

Locals in the small seaside town say Mr Ruddock's attacker was a champion cage fighter from North West England.

The brutal and bloodthirsty Stateside sport of cage fighting allows opponents to kick each other to a pulp. Currently, the identity of the alleged attacker remains a mystery.

Trouble erupted as Mr Ruddock and his wife spent the evening at Peppers wine bar in Newton Road, Mumbles, on April 14. At about 11.45pm, Mr Ruddock was seen by eye-witnesses clutching his head having being punched in the face after a man brushed against him by the bar. He was apparently struck in an unprovoked assault while his wife was pushed by a woman.

Locals say four or five police cars arrived at the bar before a man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of assault.

So far Mr Ruddock has declined to comment on the alleged attack.

A spokesman for south Wales police confirmed they had been called out to the bar. "A 37-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were arrested and questioned in relation to an alleged assault. The pair have been released on police bail pending further en-quiries," he said.

One witness said: "It started in the bar. As soon as it kicked off, people began to move away as furniture began to move. The bar was packed at the time.

"As far as I could see, the incident involved two men and two women. I saw one man hit another man and one woman hit another woman.

"Since the attack I've heard the man who punched Mike is a cage fighter. Everyone is talking about it. We hope Mike is OK, he kept touching his eye after he was hit."

Another local said: "People have been left shocked by the attack as Peppers is a couples' bar. Things like this don't happen around here."