Rugby Hero ‘Lima’ (Allegedly) Bash’s the Mrs

Subsequent to a weekend incident up in Samoa Highlanders/Blues and Samoan International Brian Lima has been charged after a public assault involving a weapon against his ex-wife.  

This is Lemalu Sina Retzlaff,  Lima’s ex missus after ‘the bash’…… 

 

  
This is not the first time ‘wife slapping’ by Lima came to the attention of Samoan media.

Accusations were aired in 2011. In one incident fellow players went to protect his wife from a drunk and abusive Lima.  

Through-out his career Lima was renowned and even celebrated amongst rugby circles as a violent player, out to inflict injury legally/illegally on his opposition.    

I am not going to give the loser more precious ‘media air’ so I’ll allow you to go to You Tube and do your own searches for Brian Lima: Sinne Tu’ipulotu, Johnny Wilkinson, Jaque Fourie, Budge Pountney.  

Well back in 2008 his (alleged) spousal abuse, issues with alcohol were aired on this Samoan board.

Last year Lima accused his wife of forgery and falsifying documents but later withdrew his complaint. 

None of these ‘red flags’ dulled his lustre in the eyes of the IRB who inducted him into Rugby’s Hall of Fame in 2011.    

None of these behavioural issues saw him prevented him becoming the coach of the eighth best rugby nation on planet Earth.     

Even today The Herald headlines Lima as a ‘Rugby Hero’.

(Alleged?) Thieving Maori All Black gets a second chance

Willie Ripia is a player who has donned the N.Z Maori jersey. 

Ripia ended-up at The Western Force in 2010 as part of a ‘foreign’ allocation Australian Rugby have that gives a pathway for overseas born players into The Wallabies.   

He was unceremoniously booted out of The Force at the beginning of 2012 after CCTV footage caught him flogging money from the wallets and kit bags of his own team mates!  

He denied the claims but couldn’t argue with the footage, said he had gambling issues.   

But who thinks ‘honesty and trust’ are necessary attributes of a professional rugby player?  

Last season Ripia was made the captain, of all things, of Bay of Plenty ITM team and now he’s got a Super 15 contract with The Highlanders.     

Thieving from your team-mates must be one of the lowest acts one can perpetrate, unless the sport is rugby where it’s clearly not an issue to anyone in N.Z.