ANOTHER RUGBY INCIDENT

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1947, Page 4

ANOTHER RUGBY INCIDENT

COACH TO BE ASKED TO APPEAR BEFORE UNION A further inoident of a footbali coach disputing the- decision of a referee was. b.rought to- the notice of the management committee of the Horowhenua Rugby Union last night. , • , ' In a letter to the union the referee, Mr. L. G. Sayers, reported chat on Saturday last at the conclusion of the match between Punahau an-d Athletic, at Rugby Park, the coach of the former teain came on to the field and' questioned his decision in stopping the game. ' j "The abuse was quite micalled 'for, as full time had been_ played,, 'as agreed by the two captains, and' |l recommend that strong action pe taken," said Mr. Sayers. He lalso pointed' out that one of the, • umpir'es in this. match had quesSioned his decisions in no uncerItain terms. Being a stranger to. Levin,- he did not know anyone to;«ake this umpire's place. I In a letter of explanation to the management committee, the secretary of the- Punahau Club, |Mr. R. Williams, said that at the cc-nclusion of the game, the coach Ihad occasion to eomplain to> the i referee in regard- to the time played. The match had been ■ scheduied to start at 2.45 p.m., bu.t nad' not commehced until 3 p.m. Mr. J. D. McFarlane, secretary ,of the referees' assopiation, pomted out that the referee for the | Punahau-Athletic game had 'advised him that he would be unable to referee' the game. This , meant that another referee had' to be found, and as none were available he had asked Mr. Sayers, who was. refereeing an early game on the C'ollege. grounds at the time. Mr. Sayers had comsented, and at the conclusion of his game, had gone straight to' Rugby Park to referee the PunahauAthletic match. He had probably been a few minutes late for the official start of the game, but this could not be helped. Further - more, im regard to the coach's compl'aint that full time had not been played, Mr.. McFarlane pointed out that the referee had made clear in his letter that the captains of both ieams had agreed on the time to be played. A motion by Mr. C. E. Wiseley and secondedl by Mr. D. Cole, that the coach be asked toi appear befoiJe the union was carried-