A West Auckland man has lodged a formal complaint that a rugby referee hit his 10-year-old son on the head during a game.
John Cathcart said his son, Robert, was playing in his Massey club team on May 13 when he told the referee Takapuna players were eye-gouging.
The referee told him to be quiet and hit him on the side of his head, said Mr Cathcart, who was watching the game from the sideline but did not see the blow.
"Robert told the referee: 'You can't do that.'
"He left the field. He was crying, holding his head.
"The ref then turned round and was screaming at my son to get back on the field. Robert said, 'No' and took his jersey off on the sideline."
Mr Cathcart said he told his son not to discuss it further, because there was a system to deal with the matter and that was better than making a scene on the spot.
All he and his son wanted was an apology.
They should not have to wait eight weeks for the complaint to be heard.
It is due to be heard next Wednesday by the judiciary committee of the North Harbour Rugby Union.
The union's operations manager, Miles Marcroft, said the referee was a well-qualified volunteer and was allocated games by the union.
Mr Marcroft said referees had to put up with pressure from the bad behaviour and verbal abuse of spectators.
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