Whetu Barber received the ban from Waikato Rugby Union judiciary earlier tonight after punching referee Mark Ray while playing for Otorohanga against Morrinsville in a premier B fixture on Friday.
Barber was yellow-carded for elbowing a player and then red-carded for talking back to the referee.
He was leaving the field when he returned and punched the referee.
Waikato Rugby Union operations manager Bill Heslop said the judiciary decision was made after 35 minutes of discussion.
"A life ban is not taken lightly, but his history was taken in to consideration. He had a relatively poor history in the short time he has had with us."
Mr Heslop said he was aware of life bans being given to players in similar cases to Barber's.
Barber was earlier given a life ban by the Otorohanga Sports Club board of management, after being found guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of the club.
Barber is a former Hawke's Bay Magpies player and won the Tui Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award in 2011 and made three first-class appearances off the bench for the Magpies in 2010.
- By Hawke's Bay Today and APNZ
