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KEY POINTS:
The Highlanders are confident their latest "naughty boy", Fetu'u Vainikolo, will learn from his recent indiscretion.
Vainikolo has been slapped with a one-thousand dollar fine, ordered to take counseling and banned for tonight's Super 14 match against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
He threw a drink over a woman at a bar last weekend.
It is not the first time the Highlanders have struck disciplinary problems, with a number of other players in trouble in recent times.
However, Highlanders CEO Richard Reid said they chose not to impose too harsh a penalty.
He said it is annoying that these incidents keep happening at the Highlanders and he thought players would have learnt by now, but Vainikolo is "a good kid who just made a mistake", and Reid is sure he will not make the same mistake again.
Reid said there is nothing wrong with the environment and he is comfortable with the way the team is run.
Jimmy Cowan, Lucky Mulipola and Adam Thomson have all had disciplinary issues recently.
NZRU general manager professional rugby Neil Sorensen said yesterday the incident was deemed to be serious misconduct under the players' Collective Employment Agreement.
Sorensen said Vainikolo has already met the woman involved in the incident and her family, apologised for his behaviour and the family had accepted his apology.
TEAMS
Hurricanes:
15 Cory Jane, 14 David Smith, 13 Tamati Ellison (c), 12 Jason Kawau, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Kirkpatrick, 9 Piri Weepu/Alby Mathewson, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Dane Coles, 1 John Schwalger.
Reserves:
Ged Robinson, Jacob Ellison, Api Naikatini, Karl Lowe, Alby Mathewson/Willie Ripia, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith.
Highlanders:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jason Shoemark (c), 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Kendrick Lynn, 10 Daniel Bowden, 9 Sean Romans, 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Hayden Triggs, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Clint Newland, 2 David Hall, 1 Chris King.
Reserves:
Jason Rutledge, Anthony Perenise, George Naoupu, Tim Boys, Scott Cowan, Jayden Hayward.
- NEWSTALK ZB, agencies
