A fight between fans at Mt Smart stadium broke out on Saturday night. Video / Cesãh Liiná via Facebook / Supplied / TikTok
The mother of a teenager who copped injuries to her head and neck while trying to break up a fight at the weekend's big rugby league match is calling on fans to be responsible.
Maria Talosaga-Kumar was at a family dinner on Saturday night when she started receiving text messagesabout a large fight that had broken out at the Kiwis and Mate Ma'a Tonga game at Mt Smart Stadium.
Her 17-year-old daughter Ashlyn was working at the match - a part-time job she picked up a few months ago for a bit of pocket money.
"Straight away, I thought of her. I thought of her safety. I called her but she wasn't picking up."
Talosaga-Kumar would find out later that her daughter was in the midst of the fight; trying to break it up.
It is understood the fight started after several fans inside a corporate box started throwing bottles and objects at fans outside in the stands - a number of whom then retaliated by climbing into the corporate box deck and throwing chairs towards those inside.
Teen Ashlyn Talosaga-Kumar (in blue jacket) was working at the Kiwis vs Tonga game on Saturday when she was injured while trying to break up a fight. Image / TikTok
Video footage taken by fans started to pop up online and Talosaga-Kumar realised her daughter could be seen in some of the videos.
"When this fight broke out, she was outside escorting the Kiwis downstairs. She's come back up and seen the fight and tried to help break it up."
One of the videos shows Ashlyn - wearing a blue jacket - trying to move into where the fight is happening. Glass can be heard breaking in the background as objects fly past and at one point, a chair is thrown.
Maria Talosaga-Kumar is calling on sports fans to be responsible after her 17yo daughter Ashlyn (in blue) was injured at the Kiwis and Mate Ma'a Tonga game. Image / TikTok
Ashlyn suffered a cut to her head when she was hit by a glass bottle and bruising to her neck after a chair bounced off the window and on to her.
Her mother took her to a local doctor to be checked afterwards, in case of a concussion.
"She didn't need any stitches or anything like that and she seems fine.
"But she said to me that she saw the bottle [coming towards her] but in that time, she reacted too late."
Talosaga-Kumar took to social media to blast those caught up in the fight and those who were seen throwing objects at people in the crowd.
She acknowledged that those actions ruined the game and atmosphere for the majority of people who turned out to support their favourite team.
"This could've been worse. It just frustrates me. Yes, I understand alcohol may have been involved, but...you've got to consider everyone around you.
"I understand the hype, but please, keep [this behaviour] to a minimum. It puts us in a bad light too," she said.
"As for my daughter, I don't think I'm going to let her go again."
At least one person who was injured and needed hospital treatment, authorities confirmed.
Police are investigating the incident and say inquiries are ongoing.
A spokeswoman said a person who was taken to hospital with moderate injuries that night has since been discharged.
Police thanked members of the public who have already come forward with information, but officers are continuing the call out to anyone with information that may help their investigations to come forward.
Can you help? Contact Police on 105 or CrimeStoppers anonymous on 0800 555 111
