Premier rugby: Pair out in 'Playergate'

Emmanuel Maui and, far left, and Luke Ottley, right, will not be in tomorrow's final. Photo / File

Two Havelock North stalwarts, loosie Luke Ottley and prop Emmanuel Maui, have been ruled ineligible for tomorrow's Hawke's Bay Maddison Trophy premier club rugby competition final.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union CEO Mike Bishop confirmed yesterday the pair won't be playing in the McLean Park final against Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports because they weren't registered. However, Hastings Rugby and Sports club spokesman Mark Sowman believed the union's board didn't go far enough on the "Playergate" issue and accused it of being "gutless".

His club believed Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports should have been awarded the final by default after Havelock North played Ottley and Maui in last weekend's 22-17 semifinal win against Hastings when they knew they weren't registered.

"We could have protested after the game but we did not want to be accused of being poor losers and sour grapes as we were beaten on the field and protesting after the fact. Had we known we might well have let them play as they were long standing and recognised team members rather than some ring ins," Sowman said.

Ottley has played 154 games for the club and Maui 127.

"We did not officially know who the players were and the Hawke's Bay union would not confirm who they were. As a club we don't make frivolous protests without the full facts. We believed that as the union had signalled to all clubs the consequences of playing unregistered players and had surveyed clubs to ascertain who was ineligible and then spoken with the clubs reiterating the consequences should they break the rules, that they would deal with any breaches and sanctions would be applied according to those rules," Sowman said.

He pointed out his club was denied the ability to play the game under protest due to the union deliberately not sharing with all clubs who the ineligible players were.

"It was the union's responsibility to enforce the rules to the fullest as there was no excuse for playing the two after the CEO and chairman had an 11th hour meeting with Havelock North officials two hours before the game where they were told not to play the players concerned. Havelock North chose to ignore this and deliberately and deviously ignored the directive of the union," Sowman said.

Rule 7 (c) in the union's club competition handbook states any club playing unregistered players will forfeit the match and the maximum points (5) shall be awarded to the opposing team. Random checks will be made on team cards to determine whether players are registered for the current season.

Mike Bishop.

Sowman suggested because Havelock North played the pair throughout the season they should be on minus 15 for the start of each round next year.

Bishop said part of the reason his rugby sub committee had ruled in favour of the villagers playing tomorrow was the fact they had won the semifinal.

"It was not the two players fault. Hastings were beaten on the field in the semifinal and it was to their credit they didn't protest."

Havelock North Rugby club's co-club captain Gary Revell admitted his club had made an administrative error in not registering the pair.

When quizzed on why his club played the pair last weekend, Revell said the pair had been on every team sheet this season.

"They weren't players who had just been brought in for the game."

Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports Club chairman Kerry Lewis said his club may play tomorrow's final under protest.

"We really feel for fifth-placed Napier Old Boys Marist who could have played in the semifinals. We reluctantly understand Hastings Rugby and Sports stance but they should have followed through with a protest."

Mark Sowman. Photo / Duncan Brown

He pointed out the Hawke's Bay union had contacted him to see if his club was happy to sit down with Havelock and discuss the possibility of Havelock playing Maui and Ottley.

"We declined as we felt that would have set a dangerous precedent. It's not up to us to make these sort of decisions ... it is up to the union. We know Luke and Emmanuel are absolute stalwarts of the Havelock club and it's an absolute travesty that they won't be playing this weekend.

"The final will be remembered for all the wrong reasons," Lewis said.

He pointed out a Havelock official reminded him about 2011 when the Havelock club eventually agreed to the Pirate club playing All Black fullback Israel Dagg in the Maddison Trophy final which Pirates won 21-14 after Dagg came off the bench and set up a crucial try. Earlier in the week leading up to the final, the villagers had stated they may play the final under protest and would consider taking the issue to a Sports Arbitration Court hearing if Dagg played.

"We're talking two different scenarios. In 2011 it was an All Black scenario ... this year we've got an issue which could have been handled better by the union using the rules which apply," Lewis explained.

"This had put a huge cloud over our preparation," he added.

MAC Sports Association chairman and premier team head coach Anthony Morley was alarmed when he had heard Havelock North would still be playing in the final despite playing unregistered players.

"Where's the consistency?" he asked.

"Our entire team was penalised for playing ineligible players earlier this season. I believe the Havelock team should also be penalised."

He was referring to when his team lost four competition points in June, two for playing ineligible players in a May 30 match against Taradale and two for an unidentified player throwing a water bottle at a referee. Morley said his club was unsuccessful with their appeal.

Morley also recalled the 2013 season when Havelock North got away with playing 19 unregistered players because of a computer glitch.

Bishop understood the Aotea club may have protested about Tamatea playing unregistered players in last weekend's promotion-relegation game which Tamatea won 32-12.

"I'm still waiting for the details on that one. Our priority was getting this premier competition issue sorted this week so we could have the Maddison Trophy final."