Rugby: Bay teams censured after brawl ends game

Gary Macdonald.

Hawke's Bay second division rugby teams Aotea and Porangahau have been reprimanded following the calling off of their game in Dannevirke last weekend.

Referee Graeme Fisher called the niggly encounter off with 18 minutes remaining. A judicial hearing related to the game was held on Wednesday night.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union's club development officer Gary Macdonald said in addition to the reprimand for their behaviour and attitude during the match both teams were awarded two competition points for the game.

"There wasn't any judicial action taken against any individual player," Macdonald stressed.

Aotea finished fourth in round robin play and will be hosted by top qualifiers Otane at Otane Domain in tomorrow's Arthur Bowman Cup semifinals. Second qualifiers Eskview will host third qualifiers Maraenui at Petane Domain in the other 2.45pm match.

Aotea club chairman Manahi Paewai told Hawke's Bay Today after the match the incident which resulted in final whistle being blown early appeared to show "a Porangahau player a bit annoyed with our fella and essentially head-butting him.

"Somebody joined in from the side and that sort of stuff ends up provoking everyone. However, I think the referee was going to continue the game but a derogatory remark to him just tipped it and he said 'I can do without this stuff'."

A Porangahau supporter told Macdonald that Fisher had "copped quite a bit from the sideline."

This was the first time a Hawke's Bay competition game had been called off this early in five years. Macdonald recalled occasions when games had been called off with a couple of minutes remaining but never one like last weekend's.

Earlier this week Hawke's Bay Rugby Referees Association chairman Bruce Dockary said sideline abuse had forced one of their second-year referees to quit this year.