A Hastings premier Maddison Trophy rugby side has had five championship points deducted and gone into the red after fielding an unregistered player against MAC last Saturday.
Yet to win in this season's competition, Tamatea had recorded three bonus points, having had a bye in the first weekend, and getting the bonus for getting within seven points in two matches, the first when beaten 19-13 by Havelock North and the second when beaten by MAC 34-33, a match that also attracted a bonus for scoring four or more tries.
The stripping of the points places the team at the bottom of the 11-team table with minus 2 points in what is the 40th anniversary year of the club's only winning of the championship, in 1982.
Hawke's Bay Rugby Union club development manager Sean Davies said: "Hawke's Bay Rugby takes no pleasure in having to penalise clubs in this manner, however, we must remain consistent in our approach for the integrity of the premier-grade competition."
He said registration was most important because of the possible ramifications, including affecting eligibility for support, in cases of injury.