Pupils made to say sorry to Warriors

Two pupils at an Auckland school were sent to “time out” and made to write an apology letter after asking visiting Warriors players about their poor season.

Blockhouse Bay Intermediate principal Michael Malins confirmed the school’s action, but wouldn’t reveal the exact wording of the questions.

The Weekend Herald understands that one student asked why the team were so bad, and a second pupil asked where the team sat on the points table during the school visit earlier this month.

The Warriors finished the 2017 NRL in 13th position out of 16 teams; a result which has left long- suffering fans fuming. Malins said the school’s deputy principal spoke to two boys about the nature of their questions deemed “disrespectful” to the school’s guests.

“The boys had time out to think about their actions and wrote letters of apology to the Warriors for disrespecting our school value of Manaakitanga.

“This was not a punishment, rather a restorative practice to apologise,” he said. The online Maori dictionary defines the term as “the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others”.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George confirmed the club received an apology letter from t wo Blockhouse Bay Intermediate schoolboys, but would not comment on the appropriateness of the reprimand.

George said the players that visited the school “absolutely” enjoyed the experience.

The team was used to fielding curly questions from the media and school kids, he said.

“They’re hard men. It’s not the first time they’ve been questioned.”

The Warriors finished the season on a losing streak of nine losses in a row; the worst in their 22- year history.