Blues' Moa fined, warned

Melbourne - Blues' fiery scrumhalf Taniela Moa has been fined NZ$1 200 ($690) and given a formal warning for misconduct involving an incident at a local rugby club in which a woman was hit by a thrown bottle.

The Super 14 team stood the 24-year-old down for their match against South Africa's Lions last week, pending a hearing by New Zealand rugby authorities into the incident which occurred at an Auckland rugby club in March.

Moa escaped further suspension but had been ordered to complete an alcohol counselling programme, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said in a statement.

He also appeared in a district court on an assault charge on Thursday but was granted diversion, NZRU said. Diversion is a scheme offered by New Zealand courts to allow offenders to escape conviction if they agree to certain conditions.

Moa had apologised to the woman involved in the incident "as well as to the Marist rugby club and will undertake some community rugby activity as agreed with the club and also with the rugby teams of his former college," the statement said.

The Tonga-born scrumhalf will return for the sixth-placed Blues' crunch match against the Highlanders at Eden Park on Saturday for their ninth game of the Super 14 season, the Blues said on their website.

The Blues are four points shy of the top four after their win over South Africa's Lions last week, and one above the Highlanders, who lie seventh.