A teen rugby league player has allegedly been attacked by a spectator during a match at the weekend.
The incident unfolded during an under 16s game between Ōtara and Manurewa on Saturday.
Video posted on X showed a man appearing to take a swing at an Ōtara player from behind after a scuffle had broken out between players.
"Needing help identifying this piece of shit in the blue/yellow/white top who thought it was OK to run on the field and blind shot my 15yr old son," the post said.
"Manurewa Marlins won't give up his name, so I'm letting social media do its thing!"
However, Manurewa Marlins chairperson Karla Matua said social media "does not always show the full context of the situation and we are aware and have evidence to support this".
Matua told Newshub the club was aware of the footage and "does not condone violence".
"Our priority has been to ensure our team and team management are safe mentally, physically and spiritually and we have wrapped support services around them," Matua said. "We are in positive dialogue with Otara RL and both clubs want the same thing, for our kids to be safe and those responsible are dealt with appropriately.
"We are following ARL (Auckland Rugby League) processes and look forward to positive outcomes for our kids and whānau."
A statement from ARL confirmed the governing body was aware of the incident.
"ARL has zero tolerance for this type of violence and behaviour," it said.
"We have judicial processes in place and when necessary, we will involve the police.
"This matter is now being managed by the police and we are unable to be commenting further."
A police spokesperson said those involved were encouraged to report the incident "so we can determine what has occurred".
Ōtara Scorpions have been contacted for comment.
