Waikato hold on to points

By CHRIS RATTUE


A relieved Waikato have hit out at the New Zealand Rugby Union's handling of the player eligibility row.

Waikato will go into tonight's first division clash against Canterbury in Hamilton knowing their title bid is alive after they survived the inquiry held by lawyer Chris Morris.

Waikato stood to lose 10 points - two small unions have had points deducted - which would have plunged them out of contention.

Waikato were instead fined $2500 after Morris found that forwards Joel McKenty and Toby Lynn played when ineligible, having failed to get international clearances after returning from Ireland and Scotland.

Third division King Country were fined $500 for a breach and first division strugglers Southland were cleared over playing Marcus Seuseu.

But discontent still simmers, with the NZRFU and Waikato arguing over responsibility and what effect the row has had on the NPC's image.

And there are clear discrepancies, such as with Southland, who went unpunished for using three ineligible players because they did not gain any points in the match concerned.

NZRFU assistant chief executive Steve Tew said the provinces were still best placed to check, although the national union would investigate boosting its data base.

Investigations had "endorsed the integrity" of the competition.

Inquiries would continue, but all the cases had probably been uncovered, he said.

"It's been a fantastic competition this year and I don't think there has been any problem in terms of image."

Morris, who held earlier inquiries, fined Waikato only because McKenty and Lynn were assured of clearances.

Waikato's carelessness was negligible because there were no "warning bells" as the players were selected via their clubs.

Neither player had a major effect on match results, Waikato had an unblemished record, and acted in good faith, Morris said.

Waikato may appeal and Dawson said the NPC's image was badly affected by the row which has involved 16 players over 10 unions, while Northland and Otago withdrew players from games because of eligibility doubts.

Wanganui and East Coast had points deducted and fines have totalled nearly $29,000.

Dawson said: "This has had a negative impact on the image of the NPC and brought into question the integrity of the whole competition - of that there is no doubt at all."

Dawson was not angered, but said double standards were applied. The unions were expected to adhere strictly - as the IRB regulations state - to rules. Yet McKenty, who was in the Waikato 22 for the first four rounds, was never cleared correctly to play in Ireland.

Morris, however, disagreed, and said that as McKenty had played in Ireland without dispute, a return clearance was still needed anyway.

Dawson said the greatest bugbear was the NZRFU registration system, which allowed McKenty to be re-registered on the data base via his Old Boys club.

Morris, in his findings, said "the database does not purport to accurately reflect registration". Dawson said this needed changing.

"New Zealand has had to do what they've done since [Hawkes Bay chief executive] Ian Condon dobbed Bay of Plenty in.

"But this should have been sorted out in April. If the data base was working the way I think it should, when a player gets a clearance overseas he should be de-registered.

"If he tries to come back with a New Zealand club, a red flag should come up saying he can't register until he has the clearance."

* Check nzherald.co.nz/rugby for match results and reports this weekend

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