Rugby player banned for 28 matches after cowardly king hit

The rugby player who sucker-punched an opponent in a club game has been banned for 28 matches - effectively ruling him out of the sport for two years.

A Christchurch premier reserve grade player ran into a melee from fullback in a match against Marist Albion on June 28 at South Hagley Park, striking an opposition player from behind with a wild swinging punch.

The incident was captured on video and sent to

The Star

by a spectator.

King hit leads to expulsion

The Christchurch player was ordered off by the referee, but he then got involved in a scuffle with a touch judge on the sideline – a Marist Albion player on the bench filling in the role.

That led to another fight between players and the match was prematurely ended by the referee when Marist Albion was leading 43-0.

The Christchurch player who launched the king hit went to the Marist Albion changing room to continue the dispute with the line umpire, a source told

The Star

He then went to his changing room before going to sit in his car.

When Marist Albion players were leaving, he got out of his car and allegedly attacked them, a source told

The Star

No one was injured during the incidents.

The player, and one of his teammates, had already been expelled from the Christchurch Football Club following the incidents.

Canterbury Rugby issued the ruling today, standing the player down from all rugby for 28 games, equivalent to a two-year ban.

It has not yet released details of the fate of the other player expelled by Christchurch.