Rugby: Moala to return to Blues

George Moala will return to training with the Blues. Photo / Jason Dorday

Blues wing George Moala will return to training with the team, the Blues have announced.

Moala was last week found guilty of wounding with intent over a late night fight two years ago.

Blues chief executive Michael Redman said an internal misconduct process had been open since the incident and, with the court still to impose sentencing on Moala, the final outcome of that process would be delayed until May.

"The public would expect us to be even-handed with this, to be a good employer, to take the matter seriously, and obviously we have," said Blues chief executive Michael Redman. "We don't have any tolerance for any offending but, at the same time, we have to follow due process and in this case the timing of the process is out of our hands.

"The sentencing is set for May 1 and we'll deal with it then. There is an internal misconduct process that has been open since the incident, and the advice is that it is not appropriate for us to conclude that until we know the outcome of sentencing."

Moala's bail conditions allowed him to fulfill all obligations as a professional rugby player, including travel, and he remained available for selection.

"He's been training through the process," said Blues coach John Kirwan. "We're confident that he'll be ready to train and play again as early as Friday.

"We're expecting him to come in and we'll just take everyone's physical and mental ability to play, and George won't be different to anyone else."

The Blues' decision followed detailed consultation with New Zealand Rugby, the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association, key stakeholders and Moala's legal team.

"George, since the incident two years ago, has been outstanding in our environment," Redman said. "We are satisfied with the way George has conducted himself over the last two years. The verdict doesn't change that for us. The sentencing may and we'll deal with that then."

Moala and his brother Siua had been accused of assaulting two men, Clifford Matoka and Damian Leota, during a vicious bar fight in Auckland in December 2012.

The brawl, which erupted in a small bar on Karangahape Rd and spilled out onto the street, left one man in hospital and several people arrested.

After five hours of deliberation on Friday, an Auckland District Court jury found Moala guilty of assaulting Mr Matoka with intent to injure him, but not guilty on two other charges - of assaulting Mr Leota with intent to injure him and of common assault on Mr Matoka. They found his brother not guilty on all three of the same charges.