Player banned for life for assaulting referee

A Napier rugby player who assaulted a referee this season has received a life ban from the code.

Napier Technical club's Lene Malasia, 20, attended a Hawkes Bay Rugby Football Union judicial hearing last week after an assault on referee Lance Behague during Technical's colts match against Taradale at Park Island on May 1.

The union reserved its decision until yesterday.

Malasia received 200 hours of community work when he appeared in the Napier District Court on Tuesday last week.

He had earlier admitted a charge of assault.