Manawatu fined $3500 for player breach

Manawatu have been fined $3500 for breaching Air New Zealand Cup player eligibility regulations.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) found that Manawatu Rugby Football Union had breached the regulations by fielding prop Aiden Nichols in their round one match against Auckland at Palmerston North on July 29.

Auckland won the match 41-10.

In his decision announced today, Bruce Squire, QC, found that Nichols returned to New Zealand last year after playing rugby in England but had not obtained the required international clearance to play again in New Zealand. As a result, he was ineligible to play in the match.

Squire said it was accepted Manawatu had not deliberately breached the regulations as they were unaware that Nichols, 24, did not have the required clearance. This only came to light after the game.

The $3500 fine was in line with other decisions in which breaches had been due to a similar lack of care.

Manawatu chief executive Hayden Smith told NZPA that the union accepted the penalty.

"We accept the penalty, although we would have liked the fine to be lower," Smith said.

He said Nichols, from Oroua, had gone to university in Canterbury and subsequently went to England to play.

"He returned (to Manawatu) and we were unaware that he had been playing overseas."

Smith said the union would be making sure it did not make the same error again.

- NZPA