CLUB RUGBY - Too harsh, club says of penalty for brawl

The Northland rugby club banned for two years after its players sparked all-in brawl last Saturday is appealing against the decision.
The ban is believed to be the toughest penalty ever handed down to a rugby club.
Whangaruru Rugby Club chairman Dave Scott said the decision to appeal was made at a meeting on Thursday night.
The grounds for appeal were that the subcommittee which imposed the ban did so without holding a hearing first to give the club a chance to respond to the incident.
The club also thought the penalty was too harsh.
"It's a long time, it will kill us. The players have the right to go wherever they want now ... it would be a tragedy for the area."
Mr Scott, who is into his second year as chairman, said the club did not condone what happened and would take whatever penalty was imposed, but wanted the chance to put its side of the story.
The appeal was hand-delivered to the Northland Rugby Union yesterday, he said.
More details of the events which led up to the brawl also emerged yesterday.
The first 20 minutes of the game with Whangarei Old Boys went without incident, until a Whangaruru player was given a red card for reportedly abusing the referee when he took exception to a penalty.
Whangaruru's captain was also sent off almost immediately after he too allegedly abused the referee for sending his teammate off.
Shortly after, another Whangaruru player was given a yellow card after he was seen punching a player. That player returned after 10 minutes and apologised to the referee.
The brawl occurred about a minute from halftime when an Old Boys player was punched after scoring a try.
Mr Scott said the club denied reports that players were kicked on the ground during the brawl or that several people joined in from the sideline.
Only one player ran onto the field, he said.
Constable Gavin Benney of Hikurangi, who is investigating the incident, said he had yet to speak to the referee and some other players involved.
A decision on whether any charges would be laid could be made next week.
Northland Rugby Union operations manager Greg Shipton had yet to receive the appeal when contacted by the Advocate yesterday.
He said the two Whangaruru players who were red-carded would face a disciplinary hearing next week.