Tipoki takes blame over gym cover-up

By WYNNE GRAY

Rua Tipoki wept yesterday, his rugby career in jeopardy, his hands in plaster. He did not ask for sympathy, just a little understanding.

When he broke both hands punching an opponent in a festival rugby match at Opotiki, he panicked about telling his North Harbour coaches and team-mates.

Tipoki did not want to derail Harbour's promising NPC run by revealing how he got injured. He felt he had let his team down. So he suggested to team-mates Matua Parkinson and Rico Gear that they hide the truth.

"The real story will come out, bro," Parkinson said as he tried to reason with his mate.

"But how do I tell the boys?" Tipoki asked. "I know the true story will come out, but I just can't tell anyone now."

The 26-year-old centre sobbed yesterday in an exclusive interview with the Herald as he recalled the decision which has plunged him, Parkinson and Gear into disrepute at Harbour.

After faking a gym accident on Monday morning in which the trio said a 20kg weight fell on Tipoki's hands, another version emerged the next day.

Parkinson had become very uneasy and after consulting senior team-mate Glen Osborne, went to Harbour chief executive Doug Rollerson with the Opotiki punch-up revelation.

About that time Tipoki was undergoing lengthy surgery to put pins and plates in his broken hands.

The three players have not been suspended: they have been fined the maximum penalties their contracts allow.

They fronted Rollerson and Harbour chairman Laurie Margrain last night with their apologies and explanation.

The trio will do the same today to their team-mates and coaches, and apologise in writing to Harbour sponsors, officials and supporters.

Tipoki said he had played in what Opotiki locals call the Pa Wars rugby series for all but two of the last eight years.

He was meant to stay on the field briefly for his Kauaetangohia Marae side so he could be filmed for part of a documentary about Maori lifestyle and sport.

"But once you get out there, everyone is after you and I did not want to run off the field," he said.

After one skirmish where Gear was roughed up, Tipoki hit an opponent several times in the head.

He left the field soon after at halftime, his hands broken in similar places.

When the Harbour trio returned to Auckland on Sunday night, Tipoki said he could not face telling the side he had jeopardised their NPC chances by what he had done.

He could not even tell his partner or father what really happened.

"All season we have been talking about being uncompromising with our rugby and our lifestyle.

"After home games I have been very disciplined about not going out - and then this happened.

"I think you have seen the way Polly [assistant coach Allan Pollock] and Doug [Rollerson] treat us ... and then I can't even come and tell them straight off about this.

"Everyone is getting the heat because I wouldn't front up, I just couldn't do it.

"Everything was going so well and now there is this nightmare."

Tipoki said he had to get his head down, work hard and try to win back the trust he had abused.

While none of the trio has been suspended, Gear will be the only one available for Saturday's game against Bay of Plenty at Tauranga.

Parkinson has knee and elbow injuries and Tipoki will miss the rest of the season.