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GOLD COAST: Distraught Australian flanker Lukhan Tui is set to sit out the rest of the Rugby Championship after an angry confrontation with an abusive fan who appeared to push his young sister.
Tui got involved in a scuffle with the man in the crowd as tensions boiled over after the Wallabies’ shock four-point loss to Argentina on the Gold Coast on Saturday.Reports said the fan shouted “how about playing with some heart” and shoved Tui’s sister.
The men had to be dragged apart with the spectator eventually led away by his throat by another fan.Police moved in but no-one was arrested, with Rugby Australia requesting CCTV footage of the incident to determine whether to investigate further.
It came after a heart-wrenching week for Tui, whose stepfather died suddenly on Wednesday with his teammates wearing black armbands during the match as a mark of respect.Tui told his fellow Wallabies afterwards that he needed time out and coach Michael Cheika on Sunday said it was unlikely he will play in their next two fixtures, away to South Africa and Argentina.
