A Waikato rugby winger is set to lose a two-year deal with Irish club Connacht after he was granted a discharge without conviction for domestic violence.

Sevuloni Lasei Reece, the second highest points scorer in the Mitre 10 Cup so far this year, was set to take up new deal in November.

Reece, 21, was handed the discharge without conviction by Judge Denise Clark in Hamilton District Court on Monday. The incident had left his partner bloodied and bruised.

Judge Clark said a conviction would have ended the Fijian-born player's Irish contract - and that would have been out of all proportion to the gravity of the offending.

However, according to The Irish Examiner, Connacht will discontinue the deal anyway.

"We are currently seeking to clarify information around the situation prior to commenting further on the matter," a club spokesperson told the The Irish Examiner.

The court heard that in the early hours of July 1, a heavily intoxicated Reece got into an argument with his partner of two years in the Hamilton central business district.

Reece yelled at his partner to "shut up, in much more colourful language than that", and chased her down the street, dragging her to the ground.

She suffered bruising to the side of her face and waist and bleeding to her knee.

The police prosecutor said Reece was already on notice after being blacklisted by police and his offending comes at a time when the government was spending large amounts of money to deter family violence.

But Judge Clark accepted that the victim had forgiven Reece, that the couple were undergoing counselling, Reece had admitted a problem with alcohol and had been sober for three months.

The rugby player had expressed remorse and apologised at a restorative justice meeting, and Reece was supported in court by a young woman and other associates.

Judge Clark took into account his early guilty plea, the fact it was his first time before the courts, his apology and that his Irish contract would help provide for his family.

Reece was ordered to pay his victim $750 within 28 days for emotional harm reparation.

On the single charge of common assault, he was discharged without conviction.

How to get help

If you're in danger NOW:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you • Run outside and head for where there are other people • Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you • Take the children with you • Don't stop to get anything else • If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay

Where to go for help or more information:

• Women's Refuge: Free national crisisline operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz • Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz • It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz • Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisisline 24/7 0800 742 584 • Ministry of Justice: www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence • National Network of Stopping Violence: www.nnsvs.org.nz • White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz

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