Jailed league player back on the field

The league player jailed for kicking his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach in an attempt to make her lose the baby played in a curtain-raiser for the Warriors last night.

Shaun Metcalf played for Otahuhu-Ellerslie against Counties Manukau at Ericsson Stadium.

Metcalf served an 18-month jail sentence for the attack and was temporarily banned from playing league in New Zealand, but has now been cleared to play.

Otahuhu-Ellerslie Rugby League president Wally Dumper said the club had no concerns about bringing Metcalf back into the team.

Club coach Roger Rota said the "incident" off the field had nothing to do with the club.

"We have just treated him as a rugby league player ... We don't even know what happened other than what we have read in the papers," Rota said.

"He's obviously got more passion for the game than most people think. He wants to be a professional and I think one day he is going to be one."

Metcalf and friends Geoffrey Ruaporo and Kyle Donovan, who also took part in the attack, were cleared to play again in a unanimous decision by the New Zealand Rugby League board in May.

After their convictions in May last year, the three former Warriors development squad players had their contracts terminated and were suspended from playing league.

All three had pleaded guilty to attempting to procure an abortion, aggravated robbery and injuring with intent. Metcalf and Ruaporo were sentenced to 18 months' jail and Donovan, who was not involved in the beating, to 15 months.

The then-15-year-old girl was lured to a park after dark. She managed to save her baby from harm by protecting her stomach with her arms. The healthy baby girl is now 20 months old.

Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro said it was an awful crime but she supported the NZRL decision as the culprits had been punished.

"Though what they did was abhorrent and foul, it did not lead to the death of anyone."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY