Rugby brawl: Committee defends suspensions

Members of the Kelston Boys 1st XV leave Eden Park after the rugby union hearing. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Auckland Rugby Union is defending punishments handed out to the two Auckland secondary schools involved in last weekend's ugly rugby brawl.

Four Auckland Grammar School players and five from Kelston Boys High were suspended following the brawl at the end of the Auckland secondary schools rugby semifinal, won 20-9 by Auckland Grammar.

Up to 100 spectators and players were caught up in the fight, which lasted five minutes.

The Auckland Grammar players received suspensions of up to six weeks, meaning they will miss the final against Mt Albert Grammar tomorrow.

The Kelston players, however, received suspensions of between 10 and 16 months.

Kelston Boys High principal Steve Watt said he struggled to understand the differential in the punishments, a view echoed today by former All Blacks Va'aiga Tuigamala, a Kelston old boy, and Michael Jones.

But a statement from the committee today said the potential playing schedules of the two teams meant a six week suspension for Auckland Grammar students could mean the same number of games missed as a 10 month suspension for Kelston students.

"(Grammar) players still have between one and four 1st XV secondary school rugby games to play this season. The effect of that player's suspension begins tomorrow when he misses his first game.

"For a player who has no more school rugby this year (the Kelston players), their school rugby competition does not begin until early May 2010 - nine months away. The effect of that player's suspension does not begin until that point.

"The effect of a four week suspension for one player, in terms of matches he will miss, may therefore be the same as the effect of a 10 month suspension on another player, depending on their respective playing commitments. Both are effectively suspended from four 1st XV matches."

The committee said the number of games scheduled for the players who were in the representative squads was also taken into account when deciding suspensions.

It emphasised that each suspension was handed out on an individual player basis.

The suspended players had seven days to appeal their sentences. An Auckland Rugby Union spokesman said he was unaware of any appeals having been made.

Kelston Boys High had already suspended seven players, five from the first XV and two from the second XV, from school following the brawl.

Auckland Grammar principal John Morris said on Thursday morning it would consider if school suspensions were warranted but no release about any decision on this has been made.

Meanwhile, officials say the presence of security guards at tomorrow's final at Eden Park has nothing to do with the brawl which erupted in one of the semifinals.

"We have security guards at any event held at Eden Park," he told NZPA.

"They were scheduled to be there beforehand and it has nothing to do with what happened last weekend."

- NZPA