Angry words from the Stormers directed at an assistant referee during their match against the Hurricanes on April 26 are now the subject of an official complaint.
SANZAR has confirmed via press release that a judicial officer is considering a complaint of “match-day misconduct” against Stormers’ team management.
Neither SANZAR nor the Stormers communications team would say what the complaint related to, with the former stressing that it would not comment beyond their two-sentence statement because the matter was before a judicial officer.
Fairfax NZ News are reporting on the Rugby Heaven website that Manawatu Rugby Union chief executive John Knowles said there had been an incident during the match.
“And the matter was reported through the referees group,” he said.
It is understood the assistant referee running the touchline took some verbal heat from members of the Stormers management on the field near their reserves.
They were understood to have been upset with some of the decisions of the refereeing group during the match.
Interviews were done a week ago, including teleconference calls, and Manawatu’s referee education officer, Matt Peters, who was on duty on the sideline that night, were part of the process.
The Stormers beat the Hurricanes 18-16 in the game at FMG Stadium, but coach Allister Coetzee, speaking in Afrikaans, is said to have been so animated in the coaches’ box during the game that spectators in the vicinity often rose to see what the commotion was about.
As per normal, they were in radio contact with other team officials on the sideline.
New Zealand’s 3 News are reporting that assistant referee Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri has accused the Stormers of calling him a ‘cheat’. He claims he was subjected to constant swearing and abuse, including suggestions he should go back to club rugby and that he had a cross on a chest for his performance as an official.
It has been alleged that there might even have been a threat included in the words directed Eden-Whaitiri, perhaps also in Afrikaans, hence it taking this much time to reach a point for an investigation to be implemented.
Given how the IRB protect their referees, if found guilty of such an offence, this could end really badly for the Stormers, who are already enduring a troubled season on the field.
From the Hurricanes’ point of view, there were two incidents that required clarification – an alleged punch by prop Ben Franks and a possible eye-gouge on flanker Karl Lowe. But that one was dismissed after checking with the player afterwards.
The Stormers are in Sydney to face the Waratahs this weekend, while the Hurricanes are in South Africa and play the Cheetahs.
Well… the officiating in that game WAS terrible. When the NZ commentators start commenting on it you know it is particularly bad.
outright robbery, the nz refs are cheats, icannot see that refs can make mistakes like these. these are deliberate decisions in favour of their teams. stormers you were robbed and have nothing to feel bad about