Blues back Moala, despite court case
The Blues have allowed controversial wing George Moala to return to Super Rugby training, while he awaits sentencing for assault.
In a statement on Wednesday the Blues said that Moala will return to training with the team with immediate effect, after his recent court case.
A jury found Moala guilty last Friday on a charge of assault with intent to injure over an incident in Auckland in December 2012.
"The Court is still to undertake a sentencing process, the outcome of which will not be known until 1 May, and a conviction has not been entered at this point of time," the Blues said in a statement.
"Given the range of potential outcomes that could result from sentencing, it is not appropriate to conclude any internal misconduct process until after 1 May.
"Therefore, the Blues and New Zealand Rugby will await the final outcome of sentencing before resolving what further action, if any, may be appropriate."
The Blues statement also said Moala's bail conditions allowed him to fulfil all obligations as a professional player, including travel, and he remained available for selection.
Blues Chief Executive Michael Redman said they have been assessing the implications of the verdict.
"We have consulted with the NZRU, the players' association and George's legal team and the Blues' board," Redman told a media gathering.
"We decided at this point in the legal process, with sentencing yet to occur and no conviction yet being entered, the appropriate thing to do is to let George return to the team and we will deal with the sentencing when it occurs."
He added that the public would expect them to be "even-handed" in how they deal with these things.
"We are expected to be a good employer, to take the matter seriously and obviously we have," the Blues boss said.
"We don't have any tolerance for any offending, but at the same time we have to follow due process.
"However, in this case the timing of that process is out of our hands.
"There is an internal misconduct process that has been open since the incident.
"The advice is that it is not appropriate for us to conclude that until the outcome of sentencing."
Moala made his Super Rugby debut in 2012 and has gone on to play 28 times for the Blues, scoring 10 tries.
He and brother Siua, 25, were jointly charged with assault with intent to cause injury and common assault during a brawl at a Karangahape Road club.
At an Auckland District Court hearing, Siua Moala was found not guilty of all charges.
George Moala was found guilty of assaulting Clifford Matoka with intent to injure, but not guilty of two other charges.
Blues coach John Kirwan said Moala has been training throughout the process and they will assess when he can start contributing.
"We are pretty confident it will be as early as Friday," he said of their internal trial match.
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