Former rugby league player

Rugby league commentator Fauono Ken Laban has condemned the actions of former league star Manu Vatuvei, but says part of the responsibility lies with his management team.

Vatuvei was sentenced to three years and seven months earlier this week in Manukau District Court for importing methamphetamine.

"You've got to find the people who failed Manu," says Fauono Ken Laban.

The 35-year-old appeared in the Manukau District Court this morning.

He was due to stand trial this week on charges of importing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for supply.

But he has now entered a guilty plea through his lawyer Vivienne Feyen to a representative importation charge.

Feyen told the court Vatuvei accepted responsibility for his offending.

Vatuvei has been remanded on bail ahead of his sentencing in December.

The Crown has indicated it will withdraw the remaining charges at sentencing.

The Australian-Samoan athlete, who stands 203cm tall and weighs 157kg, only played his first organised American football game a month ago.

All 32 NFL teams were forced to cut their rosters from 90 players to 53 at the weekend, with the 21 year old Mailata surviving the final cull.

The former South Sydney Rabbitohs Under 20s rugby league player was selected as the 233rd overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.