Watch: Schoolboys suspended after haka incident

Members of Otago Boys' and King's First XVs face off during a haka. Photo / Supplied

Three Otago Boys' High School First XV players have been suspended for foul play.

The suspensions were issued at an Otago Rugby Football Union judiciary hearing on Monday night and relate to separate incidents during a haka and an interschool rugby match against King's High School at Littlebourne on Tuesday last week.

When approached for comment, OBHS rector Richard Hall issued a brief statement.

''The players have also been disciplined by the school and, in addition, have offered to provide voluntary services to show their remorse,'' Hall said.

''Otago Boys' High School has high standards and expectations and values that include honour and respect. We expect students to live by these values every day.

''The situation is a salutary lesson to players and referees at all levels of the game to know and follow the haka protocols, particularly that teams performing haka must not advance across the 10m line,'' he said.

''The players involved have faced double disciplinary action, from the rugby union and the school, and the school will be making no further comment.''

The traditional fixture became heated during the pre-game haka. King's crossed the 10m line while performing their haka and Otago Boys' took exception to the breach.

The home team, which went on to win the game 32-5, retaliated and advanced during its haka. Otago Daily Times footage of the incident shows some OBHS players coming into contact with their opponents.

Several players can clearly be seen pressing their heads against opposing players.

Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said he could not comment as the matter was ''under a judicial process''.

However, sources have told the ODT one player was suspended for two weeks for headbutting, another was suspended for a week for throwing a punch and a third player was suspended for two weeks for an alleged gouging incident.

Otago Boys' went down 13-12 against Southland Boys' High School in an annual interschool match in Invercargill this afternoon.

South Otago High School demolished Taieri College 55-7 in an interschool match in Balclutha yesterday.

Prop Regan Gillespie scored three tries in the nine-tries-to-one romp. He barged over for two of them but the other was a 40m effort, after he intercepted the ball.