Racially abused player forgives spectators

A Christchurch rugby player was racially abused so badly from the sidelines he asked the coach if he could leave the field. Sake Aca was playing for Christchurch Rugby Club in the Metro Grand Final ag

A Fijian rugby player racially abused at a rugby game in Christchurch on Sunday has forgiven the supporters who shouted abuse from the sidelines.

Christchurch winger Sake Aca asked to be subbed off the field during the Division 1 Hawkins trophy club rugby final after being subjected to racial abuse.

Aca told 3News this evening that he had forgiven the spectators, who he believed were supporting the opposition Lincoln University.

"I left the field and had a seat on the bench and I was thinking of my family, my two daughters and my wife," he said.

"We all make mistakes."

3News reported that Aca, a former police officer in Fiji, wants Canterbury Rugby Union to find the spectators who yelled the abuse and take action against them.

Yesterday Canterbury Rugby Union (CRU) community rugby general manager Tim Gilkison said the union's immediate focus was on trying to find the identity of who was responsible for the comments.

"We're trying to establish whether we can identify [those responsible] through any sources that we've got, like footage of that fixture."

Lincoln University was conducting its own investigation and Dr John Hay, Interim Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University, said they were of the understanding that it was member of the public standing on the grass embankment that made the racially abusive comments.

"Lincoln University in no way condones behaviour of this kind in any sporting code and is saddened to hear that this occurred at the rugby match.

"The University will work with the Canterbury Rugby Football Union, as well as conducting our own internal investigation."