The Canterbury Rugby Union is asking the public to help identify the spectators who shouted racial abuse at a Fijian rugby player at the Hawkins Trophy final.

Christchurch Football Club's Sake Aca came off in tears, saying he never wanted to play rugby again after someone on the sideline yelled abuse about him and his family during the match against Lincoln University.

CRU Community Rugby General Manager Tim Gilkison reports the first step in their investigation is find the perpetrators.

"We're actually asking anybody who can help identify who was responsible to come forward and certainly we would be very interested in that, so is Lincoln University. They're doing their own investigation."

O`Donovan admits it was the pinnacle game of the team's entire season, and the abuse spoiled the whole occasion. He expects it will take Aca sometime to move on.

"He's going through a process that he has to deal with ... he would be finding it very difficult to cope with at the moment because he's never had that before," O'Donovan said. 

"We should all be talking about how well we've done this season. Instead we're talking about a subject that's not needed in sport."