Hamilton mayor pleads for league fans to stop fighting

As Hamilton prepares for the Tonga vs Samoan rugby league World Cup clash tomorrow night, Mayor Andrew King is calling for peace from fans.

The plea comes after a week of tension and fighting between fans of the two Pacific Island nations.

A battle of 200 fans fought in a Otara Mall carpark last night, with one wielding a machete. Six were arrested following the battle.

"The two island nations also have a huge sporting rivalry - and that rivalry needs to stay on the field," King said.

His comments come after senior members of the Tongan and Samoan communities spoke out asking for a stop to the fighting, most notably Kiwi-Samoan boxer David Tua who called out the fighters.

King added that he did not want any of the behavior that has occurred in South Auckland to happen in Hamilton.

"We don't want that sort of behaviour in Hamilton.

"We welcome good-natured support for these two teams, and we want to see respect for everyone involved in the game - the players, the officials, the staff running the event, and all the fans attending.

"We have a Pasifika Fan Fest on Saturday before the game and our Service of Celebration planned for Claudelands on Sunday - that's our focus: safe and family-friendly fun."

Police have indicated that they will not tolerate disorder and anti-social behaviour surrounding the game.

"Police is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and enjoyable Rugby League World Cup for all involved and, along with a range of other agencies, we have been planning for the tournament for some time," a police spokesperson said.