Reece training with Crusaders
Crusaders offer olive branch to offender
Sevu Reece is getting a second chance with the Crusaders.
The 21-year-old is training with the reigning Super Rugby champions in Christchurch, a far cry from Connacht in Ireland, where he would have been if his two-year contract wasn’t shredded in October.
The Irish club cut ties with the Waikato wing after he appeared in the Hamilton District Court on one count of male assaults female, an incident involving his girlfriend in July last year.
He was discharged without conviction, fined $750, and suspended for one Mitre 10 Cup match. Despite running in 14 tries in 11 games for the Mooloos, he wasn’t named in any of the 2019 Super squads when they were named in November.
However, the Crusaders have brought him in on a replacement contract, meaning he will remain with them until at least the end of the pre-season.
‘‘He’s done a lot of work around the incident, he’s been totally honest with that and he’s working hard on things,’’ Crusaders assistant coach Brad Mooar said after the team’s training session at Malvern Park yesterday.
‘‘I think in the discussions you have around these things you work out pretty quickly if there is a character issue or a behavioral issue. With Sevu, we’re really confident it was a behavioral matter and it’s not a character trait he’s battling.
‘‘He’s working hard to fix it, and had done before he got here. It’s not about us fixing him, he’s working on that himself.’’
Reece, who remains with his partner and has settled well in Christchurch, is one of a bunch of replacement players training with the Crusaders while their All Blacks take extended leave.
Giving Reece a shot will raise eyebrows, Mooar accepts.
‘‘We won’t hide behind that. He’s a young man who has made a mistake, and it’s a serious mistake,’’ he said.
‘‘At the same time, once we discussed that and had the conversation, we were able to go deep on that and eyeball each other. We can see the genuine remorse and his acceptance that he’s done wrong and is willing to fix it.’’
Reece could don the red and black jersey in pre-season fixtures against the Hurricanes in Levin on February 2, and Highlanders in Southbridge on February 8.
What he does between now and then will determine whether or not he is given an opportunity to stick around.
‘‘It’s a great opportunity for him to show us what he’s about, and us to show him what we’re about. If there’s more opportunity after that, he could be a prime candidate for that kind of thing,’’ Mooar said.
Despite losing wing/centre Seta Tamanivalu to French club Bordeaux after the 2018 season, and Jone Macilai not being resigned, the Crusaders are not short of talent in the outside backs.
George Bridge, fresh from making his All Blacks debut against Japan, is no doubt a lock on one wing while former All Black Israel Dagg returns from a stint in Japan. David Havili, Will Jordan, Manasa Mataele, Braydon Ennor, and rookies Leicester Faingaanuku (Tasman) and Ngane Punivai (Canterbury), are also contracted.