Samoa star to be sentenced after waitress left with broken wrist

Samoa and Clermont Auvergne number eight Fritz Lee will be sentenced next year after he broke a waitress’ wrist.

The back-rower admitted the aggravated assault following an incident on October 19 after Clermont’s Top 14 game against Vannes.

It was alleged that Lee, who was drunk, injured the woman with a chair, breaking her wrist and leaving her unable to work for a month.

After admitting the complaint, the public prosecutor’s office in Clermont-Ferrand confirmed that he will be sentenced in 2025.

Club statement

Once details of the drunken evening came to light in November, his club side released a statement which slammed the actions of the individuals involved.

“ASM Clermont Auvergne is able to confirm excesses by certain players during a private party organized a few weeks ago. The club deplores the facts which do not correspond in any way with its values,” it read.

“Faced with such actions, the club in no way endorses the behaviour of certain of its employees, whose exemplary behaviour on and off the field is a fundamental and non-negotiable notion.

“Thus, a player has been sanctioned. The club will henceforth refrain from any comment or reaction regarding these facts.”

Lee has spent over a decade at Clermont after initially joining the French outfit in 2013, playing a key part in their 2017 Top 14 title success.

In that same season, they reached the Champions Cup final for the third time in four years – following appearances in 2013 and 2015 – but all three ended in defeat.

Although they have not reached those heights over the past few campaigns, Lee has remained a key part of the squad.

2024/25 could well be the number eight’s last season and in September he rather ironically – in light of his recent assault – said: “I want to be an example for every foreigner who comes to Clermont.”

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Career

Lee was born in Samoa but moved to New Zealand at the age of 15. He started his career at Counties Manukau before making his name for the Chiefs in Super Rugby.

The back-row earned a call-up to the All Blacks Sevens squad in 2010 and was not far from a Test call-up before he decided to move overseas.

After World Rugby’s eligibility law was altered, Lee switched to Samoa, making his international debut in 2022 and appearing in four matches at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

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