Abuse from sidelines putting game in bad light - Reisima

Sideline abuse is bringing rugby in the Wairarapa-Bush area into disrepute and has directly resulted in some players taking the law into their own hands.
That's the message from Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Football Union chairman Graeme Reisima who has written reminding all clubs and colleges allocated home games that they must provide adequate and responsible sideline supervision.
His memorandum says:
''It has been disappointing that there has been in recent weeks reports from club and college venues of increased sideline abuse by reserve players and team management officials directed against opposition players and referees. In many instances these have been directed to incite their players to acts of violence, both reckless and dangerous, specified in the laws of the game as foul play.
''In several incidents, this has directly resulted in players being temporarily suspended (yellow-carded) or ordered off (red-carded). This is bringing the game in Wairarapa-Bush into disrepute. It brings no credit to the clubs and colleges especially when there are young children in attendance.
''The WBRFU would remind all clubs and colleges allocated a home game that they have an obligation to provide adequate and responsible sideline supervision. In addition, all team management have a responsibility to restrain and discipline their own team players who persist in this unacceptable behaviour.
''With the full co-operation of all clubs and colleges, including team management, good sportsmanship and rugby played in the spirit of the game will become a feature of the remainder of our 2010 season.''
Strong words and timely too judging by a couple of phone calls this writer had from long-time rugby supporters this week, voicing their displeasure about spectators at one particular club game on Saturday. They labelled the language as ''disgusting'' with players from both sides often being taunted to maim their opponents. Maybe then the time has come for stiff penalties, including banishment from grounds, to be inflicted on those who are guilty of such misdemeanours. It certainly does not reflect well on rugby, that's for sure.
PREMIER DIVISION The clash between top premier division sides Carterton and Marist at Memorial Park has to be the feature of Wairarapa-Bush club rugby tomorrow.
Carterton have the better recent form of the two and will start favourites but they will need to be wary of a Marist side which with, arguably the region's most astute playmaker, Nathan Couch, calling the shots from first-five can never be under-estimated.
The end result could depend on how much quality possession comes Couch's way. Carterton will certainly be fancying their prospects of having a clear edge up front and they will obviously be doing themselves a big favour if that is the case. Keeping their forwards on the front foot will be a key part of their game plan while Marist will probably be more reliant on the pace and flair of their backs to do the business. At least a couple of mouth-watering individual battles are also in prospect between Tomasi Kedrabuka (Carterton) and Corey Reid (Marist) for lineout ball and that of two promising halfbacks Api Matenga (Marist) and Cody Whittaker (Carterton), both of whom have already pressed strong claims for Heartland championship selection in 2010.
East Coast will be approaching their encounter with Masterton Red Star at Whareama with huge resolve to get the win that will keep them well in the hunt for a semifinals berth.
The Coasters are invariably hard to beat at home but Masterton Red Star will be boosted by the narrow win they secured over Marist last weekend at a time when their backline stocks were depleted and they were on the receiving end of a hefty penalty count. That victory epitomised the grit and determination which took Masterton Red Star to the premier division title last year and, with key backs Byron Karaitiana and Heemi Tupaea again likely to be sidelined tomorrow, they will need to show more of the same if success is to be achieved here.
In this game, too, the match-up between two halfbacks of real promise, Matt O'Connor (East Coast) and Sam Parker (Masterton Red Star), will be an individual highlight and two of the best counter-attackers in the province, Nick Olson (East Coast) and Joseph Dahlberg-Paku, will probably fill the fullback roles.
Pioneer will have taken considerable heart from their narrow two-point defeat by Puketoi last Saturday _ a result which gave them their first point of the season _ but they will find the going tough against an Eketahuna side which will be hurting from their defeat at the hands of East Coast on the same day. Eketahuna's big and mobile forwards should guarantee them a relatively comfortable win.
Gladstone and Greytown both need to make up lost ground _ and quickly too _ if they are to have even a slim chance of making the semis and this will add spice to their fixture at Gladstone.
The home side must still be wondering how an early double-figure lead could possibly have been turned into a comprehensive beating when they met Carterton last weekend while Greytown will have been boosted by their upset win over Martinborough.
On paper you would think the greater ball-winning capabilities of the Gladstone pack would be the deciding factor but past experience suggests that may not be the case.
Martinborough are another side desperately needing to pick up maximum points tomorrow to keep their semifinal hopes alive but, while the form book says they should account for Puketoi at Pongoroa, they will be approaching this fixture with trepidation. On a softish ground the Puketoi forwards will relish the chance to confront Martinborough in a physical confrontation and just how the green-and-blacks respond to that challenge will probably decide their fate.