New Zealand wing Cory Jane was accused of "letting himself down" by the All Blacks' team manager after a reported "booze binge" just 72 hours before Sunday's World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina.

Jane, however, remains in the team to face the Pumas in Auckland at Eden Park, but was told he'd "better play a blinder" by New Zealand team manager Darren Shand.

New Zealand's Herald on Sunday, which carried the story under the front page headline "Cory's Booze Binge", reported Jane and injured teammate Israel Dagg were at the Mac's Brewbar in the Auckland suburb of Takapuna on Thursday.

The two backs were, according to anonymous patrons quoted by the paper, swaying and slurring their words, with witnesses adding Jane had lit a cigarette in contravention of a law banning smoking in pubs.

Shand told the Herald on Sunday he was particularly unhappy with the pair's behaviour given the All Blacks were, as well as Dagg, also without injured outside backs Zac Guildford and Richard Kahui for the knockout clash against Argentina.

"That's what's most disappointing," Shand said. "That guys would do this in a week that we are affected by injury.

"It's not what we expect in this team, particularly not in players who are playing this week.

"This is it for us, do or die. Lose and we're out."

Shand, who said Jane and Dagg had been disciplined "according to team protocols," added New Zealand had not imposed alcohol or smoking bans on players.

"We don't have any policy on smoking or drinking, we just expect them to make good decisions," Shand explained.

"Clearly, there is enough evidence from both sides to say they have let themselves down.

"Cory had better play a blinder."

Jane and Dagg are not the first players at this World Cup to have created unwanted headlines following a night out drinking.

England's Mike Tindall, newly married to Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, was filmed being kissed on the head by an woman later identified as "old friend" in a bar in the South Island resort of Queenstown.

Tindall denied accusations he had taken the woman to a second bar but the centre had to back-track when photos emerged of the extended raucous night out.

England, minus Tindall, who had a leg injury, were knocked out of the World Cup after a 19-12 quarterfinal defeat by France here on Saturday.

AFP