Lauaki gooooooonee - charges now laid

[gt12]

Well, in trouble with the law again it seems.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10630125

[gt12]

And from stuff too.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/3...brush-with-law
Lauaki in another brush with law

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By MARC HINTON - Stuff.co.nz

Troubled Chiefs and former All Black No 8 Sione Lauaki has another major off-field incident hanging over his head.
The 28-year-old, currently suspended from the Super 14 for a fortnight, has been involved in another brush with the law which could threaten his continued participation in the Chiefs' season.
The details of Lauaki's latest alleged transgression are not known, but his franchise has confirmed via a statement from chief executive Gary Dawson that the bruising loose forward is under the police microscope again.
"We are aware of an incident involving Sione Lauaki," said Dawson. "We are currently awaiting for the Hamilton Police to decide on what action, if any, they will take on this. Until we have further details from the police, we cannot make further comment."
Lauaki has previously been involved in two major off-field incidents involving the law.
In February 2006, he was offered police diversion after admitting assaulting a Hamilton security officer, and early last year he was again before the courts charged with trashing property at an Auckland motel after a late-night incident also involving a female companion.
Lauaki is in his seventh season with the Chiefs and is currently serving the last week of a Sanzar-imposed two-week suspension from the Super 14 for lifting Lions centre Deon van Rensburg in a tackle during the team's match in South Africa last month.
He was named interim Chiefs captain at the start of the season in the absence of regular skipper Mils Muliaina.
He has played 17 tests for the All Blacks, but has fallen out of favour with Graham Henry and not been required since his last international appearance in September 2008.
He has publicly admitted that his All Black career is over but has resisted offers to play in Japan in favour of one more season with the Chiefs and Waikato.

[Hooroo]

ASSUMING he has done what ever the paper says I hope he gets the turf from the Chiefs!!! Bourke is adequate in the role to say the least!!!! i'd be more than happy for him to start for the rest of the season..... and then Stephano can start next season

[BartMan]

paper has not said he has done anything, yet!!

Agree though, Bourke will be superb by the end of the season if he keeps getting the time on the turf.

[gt12]

Yep, but wonder what the terms of NZRU contract would be - he took diversion the first time, slap on th wrist last time, so if this is a real thing it will be interesting to see what happens.

He'll be on his way to my neck of the woods, methinks. Unless of course, he gets a serious conviction - in which case he is dusted good and proper.

On second thoughts, I guess he could always go to Australia.

[taniwharugby]

does seem odd when I watch that Border Patrol (Aussie version) they stop people at thier border with convictions of similar nature and get knocked back, yet somehow sportsmen do seem to slip through....

[Baron Silas Greenback]

They 'usually' get knocked back because they dont declare it and dont apply for the right visa. You can go to Aus with a criminal conviction, just need to apply for a Visa.

[taniwharugby]

true, just I know of a former NPC/S14 player with a lower end sexual assault conviction that is playing club footy in Aus now...

[Midge]

I hope that if he is actually guilty he is charged, one should only get so many chances

[WillieTheWaiter]

He smacked someone in Coyotes last night. Other person hasn't pressed charges at this stage, but is currently talking to police.

He's in the sh*t big time.

[Baron Silas Greenback]

With his record... Fosters decision to make him captain just gets stranger and stranger.

[papamoan]

suspended or not, Coyote Bar the night before the big game should be enough to say he ain't what the chiefs need..... maybe the Warriors are looking for a bruising forward to beef up their engine room? I can't be bothered looking now but there was a Lauaki thread a few weeks back, after he was made captain, that several of us questioned how many minutes he would play

[Donsteppa]

Lauaki plays three world beating games a year. For the rest of the time he's either fat, injured, suspended, or in court. He's a waste of space.

[kiwiinmelb]

You would have to say he must be a dick off the field,

Remember that incident years back , it may have been his first bit of trouble, when some bloke recognised him walking down the street( late) and approached him to say hello,

For no apparent reason, Lauaki's reaction was to punch him in the face.

[Scorz]

I think (hope?) making him stand-in captain was Foster's last extension of the helping hand.

[Red Beard]

If he has done something wrong I think the Chiefs should cut him loose now. He should never have been made captain as the subsequent sinbinning and now this hooha shows. He had a massive gut on him in preseason which props dont even have anymore. He has had more chances than anyone else. If he didnt play for the Chiefs again I would be quite happy.

Even if he didnt smack anyone why was he pissed as a neut midweek anyway. I bet Richie, Dan or Brad Thorn are training their arses off Monday to Friday and dont have the energy or inclination to go bar hopping in the buildup to a game.

Hugely disappointing, not all that surprising. I dont know all the details but I cant help but feel he has let the francise and his team mates down again.

It irritated me to see him texting in the dugout while the game was on last night. Once again you wouldnt see McCaw texting while sitting with the Saders reserves during a game.

[Quo vadis]

resist offers to play in Japan? crikey he would end up in the poop pretty quick should he ever come to Japan, a touch too much temptation.

[Milk]

You would have to say he must be a dick off the field,

Remember that incident years back , it may have been his first bit of trouble, when some bloke recognised him walking down the street( late) and approached him to say hello,

For no apparent reason, Lauaki's reaction was to punch him in the face.

Are you sure that wasn't the story that turned out to be completely fabricated?

[kiwiinmelb]

Are you sure that wasn't the story that turned out to be completely fabricated?

No, I was not aware of that .

[FredDagg1979]

What would an assault charge do to his prospects of going to play in Japan? How do Japanese clubs view such things? Does it cause visa issues etc?

[HB]

Anyone seen this article yet?

Bar owner: Rough if charge laid
By Rachel Grunwell
4:00 AM Sunday Mar 7, 2010

A Hamilton bar owner says it will be rough justice if All Black Sione Lauaki is charged over an incident at his business.

Hamilton police are investigating a complaint about the 28-year-old at the Coyote Street Bar and Restaurant about 2am on Friday.

Owner Craig Walters said only one of his staff noticed some "movement" in the crowd between Lauaki and another man.

Within a "five-second" timeframe, there was "a bit of talk going on" and "there might have been a push, but the doorman didn't see a punch".

A staff member went over to talk to the parties but both replied everything was fine, Walter said.

However, the complainant left the bar and found a policeman who came to the bar and asked to talk to the rugby player, who obliged.

Walters said the other man involved had a 120kg-plus frame like Lauaki so the staff would know if anything major had happened.

Walters said if police and the rugby union wanted video footage he would hand it to them. Lauaki's agent, Bruce Sharrock, said he hoped there would be no charges and all parties could "move on".

He said Lauaki will make a statement when police have completed their inquiry.

Lauaki underwent an anger management course last year after being charged with wilful damage over a New Year's Day incident at an Auckland motel.

In 2006, an assault on a doorman resulted in police diversion.

By Rachel Grunwell

[gt12]

What would an assault charge do to his prospects of going to play in Japan? How do Japanese clubs view such things? Does it cause visa issues etc?

Looking at HB's post, it looks like things may blow over.

However, the Japanese clubs are not very forgiving of violence from one of the team (it's bad PR), although from most of the stories that I've heard people who've been involved in incidents there don't always get the boot - just serious grovelling. I would say that if he were charged with anything serious here it would be hard for him to get the visa etc etc... and it would put clubs off given his record.

Nevertheless, I'm picking he'll be in Japan soon anyway.

[BartMan]

think I just heard that he's been stood down by Ferrit (on the radio), would that be right anyone confirm?

[gt12]

According to this afternoon's Waikato Times, he's considering standing him down. With the crusaders up next week, I can see a Tui billboard in this.

[taniwharugby]

think I just heard that he's been stood down by Ferrit (on the radio), would that be right anyone confirm?

I'd heard Mils saying he was available this weekend...