Rugby international seeks continued name secrecy

Appeal papers have been filed in a bid to prevent the lifting of name suppression on a rugby international facing charges relating to a domestic violence incident.

Christchurch District Court Judge Stephen Erber granted the man name suppression on Monday.

He issued an interim order to run for 48 hours, due to expire at midday today, so the man could tell his father that he was facing charges of assaulting a woman, possession of an offensive weapon, and threatening to kill.

Since then, the district court has received appeal papers relating to the suppression order and its lifting -- this means that the order will remain in place until a hearing is held in the High Court at Christchurch.

The file has not yet been sent on to the High Court for a hearing date to be set.

The man denies the charges and the case is set for a District Court status hearing on September 12.

- NZPA