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A rugby league club match in Wellington was abandoned after a touch judge was allegedly punched by a spectator.
The Wellington Rugby League (WRL) board is meeting tonight to discuss what action to take over the incident during a match between North City and Wainuiomata's senior sides last Saturday.
The incident occurred when North City were leading 22-20 with 18 minutes remaining.
North City claimed a try but the touch judge intervened, ruling that a North City player had knocked the ball on.
A witness said the touch judge was then abused by spectators and punched by a man before the match was abandoned in the interests of safety.
"He got belted," the witness told The Dominion Post newspaper.
"I was standing in the in-goal eating my Kentucky Fried Chicken and I had to put my drumstick down because I thought, `Shit, I'm missing out here'. I went up to him to make sure he was okay."
The touch judge, an experienced referee, was not badly hurt but was shaken by the incident, the witness said.
WRL general manager Mark O'Connor told the newspaper the board would meet tonight before the incident went before a judicial hearing.
"It's very disappointing and Wellington Rugby League doesn't condone any violence on or off the field at a game."
O'Connor said he would speak to the touch judge to decide whether or not to press charges of assault.
A Porirua police spokesman said they had not been told of the attack.
"If he had been snotted, we should have been called."
- NZPA
