Thursday 12 May 2016 11:45, UK
New Zealand internationals Cory Jane, Victor Vito and Julian Savea have been dropped by Hurricanes after breaking a curfew last weekend.
The trio, along with flanker Ardie Savea and prop Chris Eves, will miss the Super Rugby clash against the Reds on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 3, as a punishment for arriving back late to the team hotel before Hurricanes played the Sharks in Durban.
Hurricanes suffered a 32-15 defeat to the South African side - a result which leaves them six points behind New Zealand conference leaders Crusaders.
"In Durban there is a lot of potential for distraction," he said. "The beaches are good, the climate is good, the food is good and everything is cheap. And they had been warned about those distractions.
"Subsequently on the Tuesday, which was the night before our day off, five players marginally missed that curfew. They were bound by the team protocols and will miss one game."
Boyd refused to reveal the exact time of the curfew but said the players had been back before midnight.
"This was a one out of 10 offence with a 10 out of 10 punishment," he added. "But a protocol is still a protocol."
Boyd was unsure if the five players had been drinking, but said the team considered alcohol not to be an issue and the punishment had been for not getting back in time.
"We don't discourage consumption of alcohol," he said. "They're grown men and they make their own decisions. The reason why they have been stood down is not alcohol related."
Boyd said the reason they did not miss the match against Sharks was that the team had only 27 players in South Africa. Dropping the five would have meant Hurricanes could not have fielded a match-day complement of 23.
The five players have apologised to the team and management, with Boyd adding: "None of them are happy they have made a poor error of judgement.
"We have talked internally that it shouldn't be a distraction. We know there will be extra scrutiny so we're determined to put a performance on back at the Cake Tin."
