Connacht to pull out of move for Sevu Reece after court appearance

The fallout from the Belfast rape trial earlier this year is believed to have played a major part in the IRFU and Connacht discontinuing a move by a Fijian rugby player to come here from New Zealand on a two-year contract.

Connacht to pull out of move for Sevu Reece after court appearance

By John Fallon

The fallout from the Belfast rape trial earlier this year is believed to have played a major part in the IRFU and Connacht discontinuing a move by a Fijian rugby player to come here from New Zealand on a two-year contract.

Sevu Reece, a 21-year old winger who plays for Waikato in New Zealand, was due to join Connacht next month on a two-year deal when his commitments to his current club are completed.

However, a court case in which he admitted his guilt in a domestic abuse incident in which his girlfriend was injured has prompted the IRFU and Connacht Rugby to act and the offer of the two-year deal is set to be withdrawn.

Connacht had announced the signing of the talented winger in May.

The move has been in doubt since early July when it emerged that Reece had been questioned in relation to an assault on his girlfriend in the business district of Hamilton.

Connacht and the IRFU issued a brief statement yesterday saying that they are investigating Reece’s court appearance.

It is believed that the offer of the two-year deal will now be withdrawn and that Reece will not play for Connacht.

It is understood that Connacht and the IRFU have been monitoring proceedings since the summer but did not get involved.

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are aware of media reports concerning Sevu Reece and his recent court appearance,” said Connacht Rugby.

“We are currently seeking to clarify information around the situation prior to commenting further on the matter.”

The matter came before Hamilton District Court yesterday when Reece’s guilty plea was taken into account by Judge Denise Clark.

The court case has received extensive coverage in New Zealand, with reports quoting Judge Clark that a conviction would have ended Reece’s Irish contract.

The court heard that in the early hours of July 1, a heavily intoxicated Reece got into an argument with his partner of two years in the central business district of Hamilton.

Reece yelled at his partner to “shut up” and chased her down the street, dragging her to the ground.

She suffered bruising to the side of her face and waist and bleeding to her knees.

Judge Clark accepted that the victim had forgiven Reece and that the couple were undergoing counselling. Reece had admitted a problem with alcohol and had been sober for three months.

He had expressed remorse and apologised at a restorative justice meeting.

Judge Clark took into account his early guilty plea, the fact it was his first time before the courts, his apology, and that his Irish contract would help provide for his family.

It now appears inevitable that the contract from Connacht and the IRFU will be withdrawn and that he will not be coming to Ireland to play for the province.

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