Rugby player pleads guilty to assault that broke jaw

Highlanders and Southland Stags rugby player Manaaki SelbyRickit kicked someone on the head while they were on the ground after a fight.

Appearing before Judge Russell Walker in the Invercargill District Court yesterday, SelbyRickit, 23, pleaded guilty to injuring with reckless disregard. The victim’s jaw was fractured in two places and his teeth were damaged. Selby-Rickit was remanded until November 15.

The summary of facts says the incident happened about 3.15am on September 8 at the corner of Tay and Esk streets, Invercargill. Selby-Rickit and the victim did not know each other.

The two had a short argument, the summary says. He pushed the victim back with two hands and the victim walked towards him again. The 2-metre-tall rugby player, listed at more than 110 kilograms, again pushed the victim, which caused him to fall to the ground.

The victim tried to get up and the defendant rushed at him, causing him to be pushed back several steps, before punching the victim several times in the head, the summary says. The two wrestled on the ground and SelbyRickit got to his feet.

The victim tried to stand up but Selby-Rickit shoved him to the ground. While the victim lay on the ground, Selby-Rickit kicked him on the side of the head once.

Selby-Rickit is contracted to both the Highlanders Super Rugby team, and to Rugby Southland – although he didn’t take any part of the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season after undergoing back surgery in July. He joined the Southland Stags in 2017.