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Tuesday 12.00pm updates:
WRFU held a meeting with Club Chairs last evening to discuss options for the remainder of our season delivery. The clubs were unanimous in their support of zero tolerance toward referee abuse and are motivated to ensure the integrity of our officials and our game are upheld to the highest standard. To that end, WRFU have made the decision with support of its members to cancel all rugby for this coming weekend.
- All scheduled round-robin fixtures will be recorded as a Match Not Played and both teams will receive 3 competition points each.
- The U85kg Division 1 final will be rescheduled for July 18.
- Premier Men and Premier 2 Men’s playoff matches are currently being worked through, and further comms will be distributed later today.
- College rugby is largely unaffected with no play scheduled this weekend.
- The season will continue as scheduled with club finals to be held at Porirua Park July 25. Management are meeting with WRRA this evening to discuss opportunities to further align best efforts in support of our officials.
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The Wellington Rugby Referees Association (WRRA), has withdrawn their services from refereeing club rugby in Wellington next weekend.
The association’s President and Chairman Ben Van Berkel issued the following statement on Sunday evening:
As advised last week, we had informed WRFU that if further referee abuse was reported this season, we would not appoint referee’s to games the following weekend.
We had three referee abuse incidents yesterday, so have advised WRFU that no referees will be appointed to games next weekend (10-12 July). The mid-week games that have already been appointed will continue as planned.
It will be a WRFU decision around what they do with next week’s games and that is a decision they are currently making.
I reiterate that this decision by the Executive Committee was not made lightly, but given the widespread nature of this continued abuse, we believe all reasonable options have been exhausted and need to take this stand to support and protect our members.
The WRRA is a voluntary organisation and it is understood they have had a spike in referee abuse this season and as noted by Van Berkel above they gave everyone involved in the game fair warning prior to three more incidents this past weekend.
There is no college rugby this weekend as it’s the first week of school holidays.
If this means that club rugby is off this coming weekend it could significantly impact the remainder of the season in all grades and competitions.
Pushing everything back a week in club rugby could be seen by some as a logical course of action. The Wellington Lions open their NPC campaign against Hawke’s Bay in Wellington on Sunday 2 August so this event wouldn’t be affected, and it is already understood that Wellington Lions squad members are going to be ineligible for club rugby on 18 and 25 July (the scheduled day of the Jubilee and Hardham Cups finals).
This Wednesday’s Wellington College v Palmerston North Boys’ High School traditional involving the U15s, second XVs and first XVs of the two schools is still on.
More to come.
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Fully support the refs in this action! It is a very sad indictment on the rugby community that has forced them to resort to this action and a decision I am sure they did not come to lightly.
We need to do better for everyone who love and enjoy our game.
100% agree with the refs on this, they are volunteers and should not have to put up with abuse
Wow, what a joke of a sport if Referees are being abused, good on them for withdrawing there services. Boof head rugby players should learn to behave better.
I’m sure it’s in reference to supporters abusing referees
The ref can only make calls from what he can see and the view and angle is different from those on the sideline. It’s very clear that those on the sideline will only support their own team. So consistency is best however they can only rule on what they see. It would be nice if they consult with their touch judges a little more.
Good stuff refs you don’t deserve the crap you get , it’s one thing for the players to question things ,but abuse and bullshit from the sideline is totally uncalled for.
Whilst I agree that referees deserve better, I can’t see this having any impact. The serial offenders need to be identified by refereeing officials, red-carded on the spot and club officials made responsible fir ensuring these jerks don’t remain on the sidelines, or return. Other than creating awareness of the issue, this won’t change a thing the referees management and WRFU need to work on a solution.
So sad to hear.The Hurricanes are the best Wgtton has had for years to hear the grassroots of the city clubs who will aspire to their top teams are being showensuch poor behaviour by the people who should show support at all games.Disgusted.
Don’t forget to ban the dik heads with the big mouths don’t take it out of the ref because you’re team is losing loosers