Taranaki rugby player charged over alleged assault that sent a key opponent to hospital

RNZ previously reported that the player had been banned for nine weeks.

Mike Sandle, then chief executive of the Taranaki Rugby Football Union, told RNZ a three-member judicial panel imposed the ban.

He said the penalty was “approaching the upper limit” of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) sanctions for punching a player.

The player was sanctioned for misconduct under Section 10 of the NZR Disciplinary Rules, which covers “conduct on or off the pitch during or in connection with the match, including (without limitation) in the tunnel, changing rooms and/or warm-up areas”.

Sandle believed that the hit Coastal player had the right to report the matter to the police.

“The Coastal player was knocked to the ground, an ambulance was called, he was taken to Taranaki Base Hospital, examined and then discharged,” he told RNZ..

“We are very disappointed that this incident ruined an interesting match played in good spirits.”

Sandle said no other players were involved.

Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 as news director and Open Justice reporter. She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff covering crime and justice, arts and entertainment and Māori issues.