The New Zealand Warriors have released a statement saying that the National Rugby League (NRL) Integrity Unit is investigating an incident. It is alleged that assistant coach Richard Agar grabbed a British journalist during halftime of the Warriors' loss to the Canberra Raiders in Las Vegas.
Read Also...:
Formula 1: Motorsport UK chair David Richards threatens FIA with legal action over governance
03-06, 2025
Natasha Jonas v Lauren Price: Trainer Joe Gallagher calls Welshwoman "out of order" for missing face-off
03-06, 2025
Chelsea 3-1 Leicester: Blues move eight points clear of Manchester United at top of WSL
03-06, 2025
Women's World Cup: Home Nations to make joint bid to host 2035 tournament
03-06, 2025Warriors CEO Cameron George said in a statement: "I was made aware post-match of an incident at halftime involving assistant coach Richard Agar and a UK journalist, John Davidson from The Guardian." He added: "This morning I had the opportunity to communicate with the NRL Integrity Unit. They are now following due process, and we are cooperating fully." George expressed his hope that the investigation would be efficient and swift to clarify the matter as soon as possible.
Davidson has not mentioned any related incident on his social media, but he did describe his trip to Las Vegas as "fun" on the X platform. He wrote: "Goodbye Las Vegas. That was… fun."
Agar is a former professional player with nearly 200 appearances in the UK professional league. He has previously coached Super League teams such as the Leeds Rhinos, Wakefield Trinity, and Hull FC, and also served as the head coach of the French national team. He joined the Warriors in 2022 after resigning from his position as head coach of the Leeds Rhinos.
In the game against the Canberra Raiders, the Warriors performed poorly, losing 8-30 at Allegiant Stadium. However, Canberra's victory came at a significant cost, with captain Joe Tapine and star winger Xavier Savage facing suspension from the NRL Match Review Committee.
Raiders captain Tapine was sent off in the second half for a shoulder charge on Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett. Tapine stated that he was trying to lift the team's spirits and turn the game around at the time. He acknowledged that an early guilty plea would see him miss Canberra's next two games against Brisbane and Manly, and if he chose to appeal, he could risk missing a third game against the North Queensland Cowboys.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart stated that the NRL has set a standard for shoulder charge penalties this season, which led to Tapine's send-off. Stuart said: "I'm not saying it was the wrong decision, but it was a significant decision. As long as that standard is consistent in every game."
Savage, considered the successor to Raiders' dynamic fullback Jordan Rapana, will miss the game against the Brisbane Broncos for kicking Chanel Harris-Tavita's leg in the first half. The NRL has a negative view of similar actions, and last year in the NSW Cup, Freddy Lussick caused a serious leg injury to Lachlan Ilias.
Savage, who performed well for the Raiders just days after a successful marriage proposal, scoring two tries, will miss a second game if he challenges his grade two dangerous contact charge. This is a heavy blow for Canberra, who failed to reach the finals last year but showed their most complete performance in memory in the first game of this season.
Albert Hopoate appears to be the most likely candidate to fill the Raiders' backline, after missing the trip to Las Vegas to attend the birth of his child. Trey Mooney, Ata Mariota and Pasami Saulo are among the forwards who could replace Tapine in the front row.
