‘Supporters pulled out weapons’ – Players shot at after game in New Zealand abandoned

A rugby team in New Zealand were attacked with a shotgun following a club game at the weekend.

Eight players were in a van when it was sprayed with bullets after a match was cancelled 15 minutes early due to safety concerns.

In a Division 3 game between Tamatea Arikinui and Young Māori Party (YMP), it was called off due to crowd disturbances, before members of YMP were chased and shot at in what was described by police as a gang-related incident.

Conflicting views

Tamatea Rugby & Sports Club chairman Stewart Whyte stated that no one involved were Tamatea supporters, but YMP coach and club captain Guy Taylor claimed the crowd were to blame for the shooting.

Taylor, who was in the driver’s seat at the time of the shooting, also stated that the van was rammed, but that he was ‘not surprised’ by the incident.

“It goes with the territory, it’s not the first time this sort of thing has happened to us. We weren’t expecting it but it doesn’t surprise us that this happened,” he told Hawke’s Bay Today.

“I don’t know if there is a solution for this sort of thing, this behaviour is becoming more and more common, and it is getting beyond the police to control it.”

Taylor insisted there was no issue with Tamatea Rugby Club and that, “we had a beer with them after the game, and a barbecue sausage.”

According to a witness, who was a neutral spectator, members of the Mongrel Mob – a gang in New Zealand – were present, but she was confident that the game would go off without a hitch.

That was until a Tamatea player took a big hit, which sparked off a section of the crowd.

“A lot of the young supporters of Tamatea then ran on to the field and pulled out weapons including knives,” the witness said.

The referee told the fans to leave the pitch and that if they didn’t adhere to that request, the match would be abandoned.

With the supporters refusing to move, it was called off and the players returned to the changing rooms. However, when YMP left the ground, they were followed by people hanging out of vehicles.

“They were then chased by numerous vehicles of Mongrel Mob members and associates trying to ram YMP off the road, and they shot multiple rounds at their team van,” the witness added.

The incident is now in the hands of the police, according to Hawke’s Bay Rugby chief executive Jay Campbell.

“These issues are now being dealt with by the NZ Police, and we will leave it to the police to try and understand the facts and work through exactly what happened,” Campbell said.

Inspector Lincoln Sycamore, Hawke’s Bay Area Commander, said an investigation was underway and that “those involved are believed to be gang-linked and the shots appear to have been targeted at an opposing gang.”

Tamatea rejects claims

Tamatea chairman Stewart Whyte insisted that the witness was incorrect about her assertion that those involved were supporters of the club.

“The incident which occurred yesterday after the match between Tamatea and YMP involved gang members who are not associated with Tamatea and are not members of our club,” he said.

“Our committee thanks those present who acted quickly to ensure all whānau were safe until police arrived.

“We would like to extend our aroha to YMP for the events that transpired yesterday. Tamatea’s stance has always been that we are here for rugby and to manaaki our manuhiri.”

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