Eric Rush told the <i>Northland Age</i> this week he had little choice but to break up the post-match fight.
Eric Rush told the <i>Northland Age</i> this week he had little choice but to break up the post-match fight.
A Far North mum says she has laid a complaint with police against former All Black Eric Rush.
Rush has been accused of grabbing a teenager after a North Zone IMB under-16 clash between Kaeo and Eastern/Waipapakauri.
Rush coaches the Kaeo team, who won 63-5 on Saturday.
The game wasmarred by a fight during the match and a scuffle after. Rush said he intervened in the scuffle and grabbed an Eastern/Waipapakauri player who was fighting. However, the player's mother, Jenna Waipouri, of Pawarenga, said Rush went too far and she had laid a complaint with police.
Ms Waipouri was unable to attend the match but said she was disgusted with events surrounding the game.
Rush told the Northland Age this week he had little choice but to break up the post-match fight.
He had held the collar of an Eastern/Waipapakauri player, who had been prevented from fighting by parents, to stop the player rejoining the fray.
"I just held him until it [the fight] was all over so he couldn't get back in there. I am not going to stand by and watch someone pummel someone else. Are we expected to stand by and see kids get beaten up?"
The fighting and conduct of players and adults associated with the team is under scrutiny from the Northland Rugby Union as well.
Earlier this week, Northland Rugby Union operations manager Kyal Collins told the Northern Advocate there had been serious etiquette issues surrounding the match and management of both sides would be asked to address them.
