Mt Smart melee: Bottled woman says corporate-box culprits must be held accountable

A woman hit in the face with a bottle flung from a Mt Smart Stadium corporate box at the league international on Saturday night wants the fans responsible to be held to account.

Auckland physiotherapist Samantha Henry had just finished watching the Kiwis triumph over spirited opposition from Mate Ma'a Tonga when conflict erupted between a group of revellers in a corporate box and fans in the stand below.

Three witnesses independently told the Herald that the fight began as a result of a drunken mix of Kiwis and Tonga fans in the corporate box spraying beer and throwing objects including bottles and plates into the crowd.

Two of the witnesses were hit by bottles.

Spectators from the stands captured on camera climbing into the box to remonstrate with the intoxicated patrons in the box were only acting to stop the hail of projectiles, witnesses said.

Henry was whacked with a bottle out of the blue when she turned to around to investigate the commotion.

It left her with a black eye, but the outcome could have been much worse, she said.

"I didn't even see it coming.

"If the bottle had broken it would have taken my eye out."

Samantha Henry (inset) was injured by a flying bottle when violence erupted between a corporate box and those in the stands at the Kiwis vs Tonga clash on Saturday night at Mt Smart Stadium. Photos / Supplied

Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with the chaotic incident but their investigation continues and they are appealing for more information from the public.

"Someone needs to be held accountable," Henry said.

The saga began during a speech by the victorious Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich.

A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said a member of a group of young people in a corporate box threw a flag into the bay below.

Someone in that box then shook up a can of beer and sprayed it over the crowd, before flinging the empty can into the stands.

At this point, the crowd in the rows below asked the revellers in the box to cut it out.

They did not.

The witness said the fans in the box started throwing plastic wine glasses at people on the stairs who were trying to leave their seats, followed by a hail of glass bottles and porcelain crockery.

At least three people in the crowd were injured.

"Wasn't long before they started throwing chairs and any objects they could find," the witness said.

In response, three men from the stands started retaliating, eventually jumping into the corporate box and flinging chairs back, she said.

The witness said members of a nearby corporate box, rented by Vodafone, helped pull her family and others to safety to avoid the glass and porcelain breaking at their feet.

She was grateful for their help as they had no other way out, she said.

Another woman in the stands said she saw a bottle hurtling towards her young daughter.

She covered her daughter with her body and, like Henry, was struck in the head.

"We are both fortunate it didn't smash on impact.

"There were many bottles and cans, full and empty, being thrown at us down below."

The woman said the three men only clambered into the corporate box in response to the actions of the fans who were pelting the people in the stands with bottles and other objects.

She has questioned why glass bottles were being sold anywhere in the stadium.

Auckland Stadiums director James Parkinson said staff were working with police and the occupier of the corporate suite to assist the police in their ongoing investigation.

The identity of the person who rented the offending corporate box has yet to be made public.

Parkinson said it is venue policy that all drinks are decanted in plastic cups of corporate box patrons taking their beverages out onto the deck.

"However, we have always allowed glasses and glass bottles in our indoor corporate areas," he said.

"This will be reviewed with recommended changes implemented ahead of our next event."

A police spokeswoman said inquiries continue into the incident. No one has been arrested.

One person transported to hospital with moderate injuries has been discharged, she said.

"Police would like to thank members of the public who have already provided us with information.

"We continue to welcome anyone with information that may assist our investigation to contact Police on 105 and quote file number 220626/8559.

"You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org."

St John treated three people injured as part of the disorder.