A rugby referee was punched at the end of the club rugby game in Teufaiva on Saturday.
Kaniva News has learned that a player from the Liahona Old Boys (LOB) had been accused of punching the unidentified side judge at the end of the quarter-final match against the Kolomotu’a rugby team.
Watch: Punch thrown at referee in Tonga’s men district rugby tournament club game Video
The referee was seen talking to the Liahona rugby players before he was punched and apparently fell to the ground.
The LOB team held the lead the whole time, but a late try after full time gave Kolomotu’a the victory.
It appeared the LOB players and supporters did not accept the loss.
It is unclear whether the incident has been reported to the police.
The match was the quarter-final for the men’s and women’s district rugby union tournament.
In 2017, a person by the name of Fakatouola Lafo’ou appeared at the Supreme Court, charged with one count of serious causing bodily harm.
It was alleged that Lafo’ou wilfully and without lawful justification caused harm to Taufu’i Tohi, who was refereeing a sevens rugby match between Ha’ato’u and Faleloa at Lea’ae-Tohi field as part of the Fekitoa Sevens Tournament.
The case went on trial before former Chief Judge Owen Poulsen in which he found “the charge against the accused is proved to the required standard”.
The sentencing had been scheduled for a later date, but we could not attend or obtain a copy.
