Booze ban and school talks for Mulipola

Reuters

Time off: Highlanders wing Lucky Mulipola leaving the field with a broken arm during the Super 14 rugby game against the Reds in Brisbane on Friday.

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The New Zealand Rugby Union has instructed Lucky Mulipola not to drink alcohol and to continue an alcohol counselling programme after he was found guilty of serious misconduct.

The Otago and Highlanders player was convicted recently for driving while disqualified, providing the police with a false name and for assaulting a member of the public in Dunedin in April this year.

The court ordered Mulipola to pay $5,000 in reparation to the assault victim, suspended his driver’s licence until February 2010 and instructed him to complete 180 hours of community service.

The NZRU has also fined Mulipola $1,000 and he is to address high school students at three colleges about the experience, and what he has learnt from it.

NZRU General Manager of Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen said the NZRU took the conduct of its professional players seriously.

"Having our professional players appear in court for what we consider serious matters is totally unacceptable to us. We are concerned about such behaviour and have taken the appropriate action in the circumstances."

Sorensen said Mulipola has had to deal with the consequences of his conduct through the court process, including meeting with the individual he assaulted and Mulipola has recognised the issues he needed to address, and that the NZRU was prepared to support and assist him.

"Lucky has demonstrated genuine remorse for his actions and he is deeply embarrassed about what he has done. He fully understands the seriousness of the events and in fact took the initiative to seek alcohol counselling.

"He is committed to making amends and we are fully supportive of his desire to seek help. Equally, we have made it clear to Lucky that there can be no more repeat of such behaviour in being a professional rugby player."