Rugby review panel to offer recommendations after off-field incidents

Aaron Smith fights back tears as he speaks to media at the All Blacks hotel in Durban after news broke of him being sent home from the tour last year.

An independent review panel set up after off-field incidents involving New Zealand rugby players is about to make its recommendations on the culture in the sport.

The high-profile group, headed by Law Society president Kathryn Beck, has completed its respect and responsibility review, and will present its findings in Auckland on Thursday.

The appointment of Beck and the rest of the nine-strong panel was announced in November.

They were charged with reviewing New Zealand Rugby's policies, processes and programmes after negative publicity surrounding the sport last year.

In August 2016, NZR was criticised for its response to an incident involving a stripper at a Chiefs' season-ending event.

Soon after, there was a public outcry over the case of Losi Filipo, a young Wellington player charged with assault.

There has been further bad publicity since, with revelations of Aaron Smith's Christchurch airport "toilet tryst" with a woman last October, and fellow All Black Jerome Kaino leaving the Test squad last month after reports of an affair.