Connacht squad 2018-2019.

The facts outlined in the article are unpleasant enough without us venturing into speculation (we don't know what Reece was "blacklisted" for and/or what if any legal standing that term has in New Zealand) or inaccuracy (Connacht did not terminate a player's contract; they merely did not activate their option to extend a contract for a second year, and that player remained with the team until season's end).

That said if it were my call I'd have dumped him and hired a promising Mitre 10 TH by now, so he's fortunate that the Connacht management appear to be more understanding/less cynical.

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

Seeing that this seems to be one of a string of times the police have been called about him and are are aware of his actions, and it won't be the last over domestic violence for me he can stay in NZ TBH.

I don't know if I could support connacht if he was playing

I do not condone anyone in hitting the opposite sex.
There are a few things to take into account before we put this guy on social media trail.
I'm not qualified and I assume alot others are in the same boat as me on this issue.

This is a very common judgement for most courts around the world.
Judges are reluctant to ruin a young person career by convicting them.
I read similar stories like this all the time in local court stories. Young people caught with small amount of drugs, drunk and disorderly etc

I do agree that everyone deserves a second chance. And so does this Judge who is qualified.

It's now in the hands of this young man to realise he has a problem with drink and to be mature enough to take the right steps. He will fall off the wagon again. Fingers crossed he has the right support group around him to keep it happening at a minimum.

If he keeps making the same mistake again, he had his chance. So hopefully he will learn

Whose contract was terminated/not extended last year for similar issues???

Coulson

Oh right, duh.

Tall Paul wrote:

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

Seeing that this seems to be one of a string of times the police have been called about him and are are aware of his actions, and it won't be the last over domestic violence for me he can stay in NZ TBH.

I don't know if I could support connacht if he was playing

I do not condone anyone in hitting the opposite sex.
There are a few things to take into account before we put this guy on social media trail.
I'm not qualified and I assume alot others are in the same boat as me on this issue.

This is a very common judgement for most courts around the world.
Judges are reluctant to ruin a young person career by convicting them.
I read similar stories like this all the time in local court stories. Young people caught with small amount of drugs, drunk and disorderly etc

I do agree that everyone deserves a second chance. And so does this Judge who is qualified.

It's now in the hands of this young man to realise he has a problem with drink and to be mature enough to take the right steps. He will fall off the wagon again. Fingers crossed he has the right support group around him to keep it happening at a minimum.

If he keeps making the same mistake again, he had his chance. So hopefully he will learn

100% agree with you Paul.
He made a mistake, a Qualified judge made a decision after hearing the facts. People here don't know the facts are disagreeing with the the judge. Strange.

Also, going a little personal, the woman (his partner) has forgiven him, has given him a second chance etc, but people who never met him, don't know him at all are suggesting that he loses out on a contract here.

Give the guy a chance!

Im working on stuff at the moment that involves domestic violence, so understand that my view comes from a certain perspective. I've heard so much testimony about street angel home devils, I took him back a few times, he said it was going to get better, it was only when he was drinking etc...

So when I read things like that especially about someone who was on the police radar pre this incident, I'm uneasy about the situation,

sea_point wrote:

connemara man wrote: I really don't like the attitude of the judge that if he wasn't a rugby player he'd be getting in trouble.

Seeing that this seems to be one of a string of times the police have been called about him and are are aware of his actions, and it won't be the last over domestic violence for me he can stay in NZ TBH.

I don't know if I could support connacht if he was playing

I think you need to have the context of Reece's living environment to see where the Judge is coming from. Leaving your homeland (purley for rugby reason) at 17 does leaves you very vulnerable to the wrong influences/influencers.
Pretty sure the judge is basing the determination on a lot of experience of the area, and having dealt with young adults who grow up in same environment...

Everyone deserves a second chance, and if I remember correctly Bundee's own story has some very similar background before he found his feet as an adult ....

Completely agree. No condoning what he did but it's completely wrong to write him off and cast him aside. It's been shown in studies in many countries worldwide, that a persons environment and social situation has a massive bearing on their future prospects for getting into trouble and ending up in prison. More often than not, prison, instead of rehabilitating these people serves only to reinforce the issues that lead to them getting in trouble in the first place. It's a viscous circle and a prison record means they're completely up against the 8 ball when it comes to forging a career and a new life as full members of society. Some manage to buck the tend and put it behind them but the vast majority end up sliding further and further down the path of self destruction. Early intervention and education are proven to be far more effective methods of rehabilitation. I find it incredible that some people are prepared to send this guy to the firing squad without knowing anything about him, or his life and instead prefer to read between the lines of a newspaper article. He F***ed up, but how many of us can truthfully look back on our lives without at least a little shame over some mistakes we made. It's what makes us human. Get off the pulpit and wait to get to know this guy before making up your minds.

A shame to see so many here so quick to judge based of their own opinions and not the very small amount of facts available in the NZ media. Says nothing about a punch in anything I've read, but it does however say the judge took into account that this was his first time before a court, that the two were getting councelling and he had acknowledged his alcohol problems and has been sober 3 months. This 'blacklist' we know no details of so I don't feel its fair for us to be judging based on alot of opinion and should respect the views of the court in NZ. If there was/is more to it I'm sure Connacht will deal with it accordingly.

What actions did Connacht have in this?

According to a sports news Ireland article

New Connacht signing Sevu Reece has been discharged without conviction after Connacht Rugby sent a letter to a New Zealand court saying if he was charged his contract would be withdrawn.

www.sportsnewsireland.com/rugby/rugby_ir...tter_impression=true