Tall Paul wrote:

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

Seeing that this seems to be one of a string of times the police have been called about him and are are aware of his actions, and it won't be the last over domestic violence for me he can stay in NZ TBH.

I don't know if I could support connacht if he was playing

I do not condone anyone in hitting the opposite sex.
There are a few things to take into account before we put this guy on social media trail.
I'm not qualified and I assume alot others are in the same boat as me on this issue.

This is a very common judgement for most courts around the world.
Judges are reluctant to ruin a young person career by convicting them.
I read similar stories like this all the time in local court stories. Young people caught with small amount of drugs, drunk and disorderly etc

I do agree that everyone deserves a second chance. And so does this Judge who is qualified.

It's now in the hands of this young man to realise he has a problem with drink and to be mature enough to take the right steps. He will fall off the wagon again. Fingers crossed he has the right support group around him to keep it happening at a minimum.

If he keeps making the same mistake again, he had his chance. So hopefully he will learn

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

Seeing that this seems to be one of a string of times the police have been called about him and are are aware of his actions, and it won't be the last over domestic violence for me he can stay in NZ TBH.

I don't know if I could support connacht if he was playing

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

sea_point wrote: Spotted this story online today, a bit disturbing given some of the issues in recent years. Hopefully the move to Galway will help with his personal growth, he's only 21 after all and only moved to NZ when he was 17 so he may not had the most settled time off it the rugby pitches of Hamilton Boys High School and Waikato...

But it's an issue that I have no doubt will be pored over by the Irish media, and used by other supporters groups to wind us [/spoiler]

Warning: Spoiler!

www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cf...80&objectid=12134952

Young rugby player discharged over domestic violence incident
1 Oct, 2018 1:01pm
A young rugby star has been granted a discharge without conviction over a domestic violence incident that left his partner bloodied and bruised - allowing him to take up a contract in Ireland.

Sevuloni Lasei Reece, a Waikato Rugby winger and second highest points scorer in the Mitre 10 Cup so far this year, will now get to take up his contract with Irish club Connacht in November as planned.

Reece, 21, was handed the discharge without conviction by Judge Denise Clark in the Hamilton District Court today.

Judge Clark said a conviction would have ended the Fijian-born player's Irish contract - and that would have been out of all proportion to the gravity of the offending.

The court heard that in the early hours of July 1, a heavily intoxicated Reece got into an argument with his partner of two years in the Hamilton central business district.

Reece yelled at his partner to "shut up, in much more colourful language than that", and chased her down the street, dragging her to the ground.

She suffered bruising to the side of her face and waist and bleeding to her knee.

The police prosecutor said Reece was already on notice after being blacklisted by police and his offending comes at a time when the government was spending large amounts of money to deter family violence.

But Judge Clark accepted that the victim had forgiven Reece, that the couple were undergoing counselling, Reece had admitted a problem with alcohol and had been sober for three months.

The rugby player had expressed remorse and apologised at a restorative justice meeting, and Reece was supported in court by a young woman and other associates.

Judge Clark took into account his early guilty plea, the fact it was his first time before the courts, his apology and that his Irish contract would help provide for his family.

Reece was ordered to pay his victim $750 within 28 days for emotional harm reparation.

On the single charge of common assault, he was discharged without conviction.

wp_rathead wrote: Ospreys away to be played in Bridgend, in case anyone heading to it

Mark Mostyn wrote:

clanman wrote: www.rugbypass.com/news/no-more-excuses-s...gs-at-the-next-level

Interesting that they suggest Reece should stay in New Zealand

He won’t qualify for Ireland in time for the 2023 World Cup not sure what they’re on about.