Violent player is stood down

Louis Marsters. Photo / Supplied

A budding actor and rugby player's future is in the hands of the Harbour Rugby Union after he was found guilty of violently punching a player after the final whistle had blown.

Kumeu Under-19 player Louis Marsters has been stood down for the rest of the season and is expected to receive a penalty next week for assaulting two Takapuna Under-19 players.

Marsters was sent off the field and given a red card for punching Takapuna halfback Vikus Nel in the ruck during a heated game three weeks ago.

He fired up again when the two teams were shaking hands and punched Takapuna prop Jarred Beckett, knocking him to the ground and splitting his lip.

An injured Takapuna player who was watching from the sideline, John Midgley, said there was no room in rugby for violence: "It's intolerable, it's the opposite end of sportsmanship - we are not there to play the game like that and if people are then they shouldn't be playing the game at all."

Harbour Rugby Union operations manager Miles Marcroft said a judicial hearing took place on Wednesday following an investigation.

"The judicial committee [of three people] are still considering sanctions that will be imposed which shows the seriousness of what happened," Marcroft said.

Marsters told the Herald on Sunday he had been in trouble with his coach Darren Hughes and didn't want to comment on the fight, but said we could have used a better photo of him.

"My coach is doing stuff, I don't want to say anything to get me in deeper sh** just in case it makes it worse. You could have got a better photo like a rugby one," Marsters said.

Beckett's father, John, said he was anxiously waiting to see what penalty would be handed down and indicated Marsters should be banned from rugby for life. The family said they would not lay charges with police.

Kumeu Rugby Club delegate Rob Wallace said it supported the union's decision.

"The club doesn't accept violence or condone it and we are working with the union and have full co-operation with them," Wallace said.

Takapuna chairman Simon Cheesman said the two teams were on good speaking terms.

"The two clubs communicated clearly with each other and decided it was important to let the union go through processes and find a suitable penalty to impose on the player concerned."