Dad wants rugby ban for kick on daughter

The father of a Whakatane high school girl kicked in the head during a rugby game this week wants the person responsible banned from the game.

It is the second time in two weeks that an Eastern Bay of Plenty schoolgirl rugby player has been injured.

John Sim believes his daughter Sarah, 17, was deliberately kicked after making a fair tackle. He has reported the incident to Whakatane police and intends to complain to the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

Trident High School principal Peter Tootell is also investigating the incident in the Trident vs Whakatane High School game and will take the matter up with Whakatane principal Chris Day and the rugby union.

Mr Sim said Sarah was about to get up after tackling an opposing player when another player from the opposing team ran over and kicked her in the head.

Sarah was taken to Whakatane Hospital with concussion, a black eye and facial swelling.

"She is lucky not to be seriously injured," Mr Sim said. "She had taken a few punches before and you get that in rugby, but I have never seen anything like this."

Referee Paul Barr did not see the incident, but he said witnesses indicated it appeared to have been a deliberate kick, and he sent off the girl responsible for the rest of the game.

In the earlier incident, Rachel Paddon, 15, was knocked unconscious and pulled ligaments in her neck after ending up on the bottom of a collapsed ruck during a game in Te Puke. She is still recovering.

- NZPA