Four banned for month after sideline brawl

A rugby brawl involving spectators and players who rushed from the field to join in the scuffle has resulted in four people facing one-month bans from the game.

The Waikato Rugby Union's judicial committee handed the bans down to two players and two spectators after a sideline fracas last Saturday at Memorial Park, Cambridge, during a premier club match between Hautapu and Hamilton Marist.

Among those punished was ex-NZ Maori and King Country No8 Romana Graham, who went to the game to support his son but allegedly got involved in the ruckus with sidelined Hamilton Marist prop Travis Church.

The incident happened at the end of a niggly first half which had seen a Marist player sent off for punching and a Hautapu player about to be sin-binned.

The Waikato Times reported others from the crowd joined in and with time up for the first half, both sides raced from the field.

Mr Graham's son, Waikato representative Romana Graham jnr, and his teammate Tau Moeke were also banned after they raced from the field to the sideline.

Children watching the game were reportedly rushed to their cars by their parents as the violence unfolded.

Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen said it was "certainly an unsavoury incident".

"It's probably as bad as I have seen but there have been occasions in other matches where players have got a bit fiery and reserves and spectators get in on the action too," he said. "To have this happen in front of children and other spectators anywhere is totally unacceptable."

Mr Bowen said there was a "huge level of remorse" from the players and spectators and he was satisfied the four-week ban was a "pretty fair result".

The clubs were asked to review their internal processes and report back to the union within seven days.