Tongan-born All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa spent part of his time on the field on Saturday night playing with just a sock on his left foot after Australian player Nick Phipps stole his boot.
Fekitoa kept playing until a trainer could retrieve his boot, which Phipps had thrown off the field.
Phipps ripped off the boot during the second half of the game after tackling the Tongan.
Despite Phipps’ assault, the All Blacks won 29-9 in the second game of the Bledisloe Cup.
Some commentators have suggested that Phipps could have been penalised for violating World Rugby law 10.4 (m), which says that “A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure.”
The All Blacks and the Wallabies will play the final Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park on October 22.
Phipps plays for the Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition.
Fekitoa was born in Ha’apai, Tonga in 1992. In 2009, during a visit to New Zealand, he gained a rugby scholarship and enrolled at Wesley College.
He made his debut for Auckland in the ITM Cup in 2012 and was signed by the Blues for the 2013 season. He then signed for the Highlanders for the 2014 Super Rugby season.
The Tongan centre was selected for the All Blacks squad for the June 2014 test series against England and made his debut as a replacement player in first test of that series.
The main points
- Tongan-born All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa spent part of his time on the field on Saturday night playing with just a sock on his left foot after Australian player Nick Phipps stole his boot.
- Fekitoa kept playing until a trainer could retrieve his boot, which Phipps had thrown off the field.
- Phipps ripped off the boot during the second half of the game after tackling the Tongan.
- Despite Phipps’ assault, the All Blacks won 29-9 in the second game of the Bledisloe Cup.
For more information
Nick Phipps caught on camera ripping off and throwing away Malakai Fekitoa’s boot
What are you doing mate? (TBNZ video)
