Former rugby league international John Hopoate has been charged with assault after an incident at a supermarket on Sydney's lower north shore.
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Police will allege in court that Hopoate, 42, was at the supermarket on Atchison Street in Crows Nest about 10am on Tuesday when he became involved in a verbal argument with a 40-year-old staff member.
A NSW Police spokeswoman said the argument allegedly "turned physical", and other supermarket staff members intervened.
Hopoate then left the supermarket.
The incident was reported to police at the Harbourside Local Area Command, who launched an investigation.
Police said that at 2.30am on Thursday, a 42-year-old man attended North Sydney police station where he was charged with common assault.
He was granted conditional police bail before his scheduled court appearance at Downing Centre Local Court on June 17.
Fairfax Media has contacted Hopoate for comment.
Hopoate, who represented Manly, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles, courted controversy throughout a 13-year, 209-game, first-grade rugby league career, during which he represented Australia, NSW and Tonga.
The controversial figure finally retired from rugby league after he copped a 17-match ban for a 2005 tackle on Keith Galloway. That came after a 12-match ban in 2001 for poking opposition players up the backside.
Hopoate served a total of 45 weeks on the sidelines - an NRL record.
Following his rugby league career, he turned to professional boxing, and went on to be crowned the Australian heavyweight boxing champion.
In recent months, he has been locked in a Supreme Court battle with the NRL over his right to coach Manly's under-18s side, amid allegations he was not a "fit and proper person" to do so.
NSW Police detective inspector Wayne Walpole had urged rugby league officials to stand Hopoate down, claiming it was not appropriate he mentored teens.
The NRL agreed, although details behind the decision were not revealed due to confidentiality issues.
Last month, Hopoate proposed that the NRL's integrity unit register him on a "provisional" trial so he could prove he was a fit and proper person, while he decided whether to discontinue his legal action against the sport's governing body.
