Two teens have been punished by their former school over a sickening incident involving the abuse of a dying bird.
The pair, who this year left John Paul College in Rotorua but at the time of the incident still played for their First XV rugby team, appeared in a video shared on Snapchat showing them abusing the animal while laughing.
In the video, the bird is held up, slapped to the ground, thrown against walls multiple times and stomped.
The NZ Herald reports the school's board of trustees' disciplinary sub-committee released its findings and punishment last week.
In their report, the committee said the incident took place in a private home and was not supervised or sanctioned by the school in any way.
Both former students were banned from playing in the First XI for three competition games, with half of the season remaining.
They were also ordered to attend counselling to address their cruelty to animals. They were also ordered to provide voluntary service to the SPCA for three months and make a donation to that organisation.
John Paul College Principal Patrick Walsh told the Herald he was "appalled and deeply saddened" by the footage, but declined to comment further.
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