Hundreds of convicted criminals were rejected for roles as Rugby World Cup volunteers. Of the 7781 people who offered to become volunteers, 345 were rejected after police vetting found they had serious criminal records.
The figures were obtained by the Herald on Sunday under the Official Information Act.
Inspector Kevin Riordan, the Cup vetting manager, said reasons for rejection included committing "serious offences" or a series of minor offences, being convicted of a violent crime and drug use.
"There was no exhaustive list on reasons for declining or accepting an applicant as a volunteer, but a variety of issues were taken into account for each person during this process."
About 5500 volunteers worked an estimated 150,000 hours to help the tournament run smoothly. Tasks included driving VIPs, accreditation and giving directions.
