KEY POINTS:
A woman who was repeatedly punched and kicked by a rugby league player while she was unconscious is angry he was allowed to keep playing until he was sent to jail for the attack.
Quentin Ruruku, who played for the Palmerston North-based Central Falcons in the Bartercard Cup, was sentenced this month to six months' jail, with leave to apply for home detention, for injuring with intent.
The victim, a 27-year-old who does not want to be identified, said Ruruku threatened to kill her and knock her down while she was visiting friends in Levin with her two young children.
He then "did just that - knocked me out, dragged me round by my hair and continued to punch and kick me while I was unconscious".
The attack occurred in January, but Ruruku continued playing for the Central Falcons until his sentencing and imprisonment on May 5.
The woman said the attack was vicious and sickening, and Ruruku should not have been allowed the privilege of playing in the Bartercard Cup.
However, club officials say it was only last week that they learned the full extent of what Ruruku had done.
Manawatu Rugby League general manager Dan Burton said Ruruku initially told the club he had been involved in a fight.
It was only on Thursday, when the media contacted the club wanting to know why Ruruku had not been stood down earlier, that it learned what really happened.
The woman contacted media offices after seeing the Cronulla Sharks club in Australia sack one of its players - hooker Tevita Latu - after he allegedly punched a young woman in the face last week.
The victim of the Levin attack said: "It is not only to my disgust, being the primary victim of his attack, but also a large number of [people's] that Mr Ruruku was allowed to continue representing the Central Falcons.
"His actions, when weighed against those of Tevita Latu ... were immensely more serious."
Mr Burton said the club was shocked to learn the full extent of Ruruku's actions and had now stood him down.
A decision had not yet been made on whether he would be allowed to play for the club again next year.
Mr Burton said Ruruku would have to apply and have his case heard - but he would not automatically be accepted back into the team.
"For the future we will be a lot more wary of it if someone does get into a bit of trouble like this.
"Then we are obviously going to have to take a more serious look at the case."
DIFFERENT STROKES
Tevita Latu
* Plays for the Cronulla Sharks in Australia's NRL.
* Banned from playing in Australia and Britain after punching a 19-year-old woman in the face.
* The NRL deregistered Latu without waiting for his trial.
Quentin Ruruku
* Plays for the Central Falcons in New Zealand's Bartercard Cup.
* Continued to play for his team until he was sentenced to six months in prison this month for a brutal attack on a woman.
* His club says it knew only that he had been involved in a fight.
