Pitch invader hospitalised during Chiefs vs Blues match at Eden Park

Play was brought to a halt in the 70th minute when one naked invader made their way to the Chiefs’ backline. The man eventually threw his hands up and was taken down by security.

The referee was forced to stop play so the invader could be stopped and escorted from the pitch.

In a statement to the Herald, Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner said pitch invaders at the ground would be immediately removed from the venue and issued with a trespass notice.

“We take the safety of everyone who attends an event at Eden Park, including the players, extremely seriously. Because we don’t know what the person’s intention is when they unlawfully enter the field during a match, it is Eden Park’s policy to stop the person as soon as is practicable and reduce the risk to the players.”

The Herald revealed New Zealand sports stadium chief executives and major sports organisations wrote to the Government in 2023 calling for harsher penalties for pitch invaders.

It came after the Warriors hosted the Brisbane Broncos in Napier and more than 20 spectators attempted or successfully dashed on to McLean Park.

The letter asked for a lifetime ban from all stadiums across New Zealand and an increase in fines.

Under the current Major Events Management Act, fines of up to $5000 or three months’ imprisonment can be imposed for pitch invasion at a major sporting event.

Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast, and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.