Wairoa rugby game gang brawl: Pregnant woman rescues toddler nephew from vehicle amid gang attack

• A pregnant woman rescued her toddler nephew from a gang brawl after a rugby game in Wairoa.
• The violent clash reportedly involved Mongrel Mob and Black Power members, as well as players from the match.
• Police have made no arrests in relation to the brazen brawl, in which five people were injured.

A pregnant woman was among those caught in the middle of a violent gang-related brawl after a rugby match in Wairoa over the weekend – rushing to pull her young nephews out of a vehicle, as a crowd surrounded it and smashed its windows.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said they were supporters at the game between Tapuae Sports Club and YMP at War Memorial Park on Saturday when all hell broke loose shortly after the match.

A number of people were injured in the Hawke’s Bay melee, which took place in front of several young children and babies and reportedly involved Mongrel Mob and Black Power members.

The woman’s brother and his young family – including his partner and their three sons, including an infant and two toddlers – rushed to their car in a bid to get out of the increasingly violent situation.

However, the woman said that as her brother pulled out of his car park, a number of people involved in the brawl rushed towards him, smashing the driver’s side window and pulling at the steering wheel.

The brawl was captured and shared on social media.

“He was just trying to get out of there and [get the kids] to safety. He was ready to just zoom off because there were heaps of them.

“But they pulled the steering wheel.”

That then caused the car to veer into another parked vehicle and also hit a number of people, she said.

Video footage obtained by the Herald showed a woman becoming trapped between the two vehicles.

Although it was not intentional, the incident sparked anger among the crowd; with several Mongrel Mob members then attacking her brother, still inside, and kicking and punching the car – despite screams that there were children inside.

Another person jumps on the hood of the car and begins stomping on the windscreen, spreading glass throughout the interior of the vehicle.

“We were going: ‘There are kids in the car!’,” the woman said. She alleged the attackers then said; “F**k the kids, kill them too!”

A large number of people waded in.

Video of the incident shows the woman approaching the car to pull one of the children – her 2-year-old nephew – out of the back seat.

“I pulled him out of the car because they were all surrounding the car, smashing the windows up.

“I pulled him through the window – and I’m pregnant too. I was trying to get the other one out, but he’s too big – I couldn’t get him out.”

Asked how the boys were at the time, she said they were unhurt.

“There was a lot of glass in his car seat. He had pants on, he had a jersey on - he didn’t get cut.”

The woman said her brother also suffered a stab wound to one of his hands. Another brother who was outside suffered a stab wound to one of his shoulders, she said.

On Monday afternoon police confirmed inquiries into the incident remained ongoing and no arrests had been made.

A police spokesperson said they believed five people were injured in the incident.

Some players from the rugby game were also involved in the brawl.

Wairoa response manager Senior Sergeant Scott Leighton earlier said a number of weapons were involved, not firearms, in the brawl on Hunter-Brown St.

Hato Hone St John told the Herald they sent an ambulance in response and treated one patient in a minor condition.

“It looks like others were involved, but were not seen by us.”

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little told the Herald he was “absolutely disgusted” at the violence on show and would be urging police and the Government to go harder on gangs after the incident.

“These clowns think they can do this and it just takes all credibility away from Wairoa.

“The rugby had nothing to do with it, the rugby was a really well-ran game, players were playing really well and it had finished ... After the game this happened and it just really sours the positivity of rugby games in Wairoa,” Little said on Saturday’s game.

A few players from the match also appeared to be involved in the brawl while still wearing their playing strips.

“Everyone’s in disbelief that we’ve got people living in our community that are willing to do this and bring Wairoa down to this sort of level. I think the sooner they arrest them and put them away, the better, and I will be batting for that to happen,” Little said.

Tapuae Sports Club and YMP did not immediately respond to queries from the Herald on Monday.

Tapuae recently claimed the Poverty Bay premier rugby title against Gisborne YMP in Wairoa. Photo / Paul Rickard

Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union (HBRU) CEO Jay Campbell confirmed on Sunday to the Herald the altercation happened about 20 minutes after the match between Tapuae Sports Club and YMP.

“The game was without incident but we will be investigating it from a rugby point of view.”

Campbell referred all other questions to police.

Poverty Bay Rugby Union didn’t wish to comment when approached by the Herald.

Police earlier urged anyone who witnessed the disorder or had any information on what occurred to call police on 105 and quote file number 240727/7731.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald’s Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.