Sideline Champs: Referee gets his message across

At the launch of the Applaud campaign by NZ Rugby, All Black Piri Weepu ran the touchline for a game. Photo / Michael Craig

The mum of Brayden Challis, 18, may not have to go to every game he referees if a new sideline supporter programme launched by New Zealand Rugby yesterday is successful.

Challis had high-profile linesmen either side of him at the College Rifles home ground in Remuera as All Blacks Piri Weepu and Andrew Hore helped promote the Applaud campaign to get parents and supporters positively support junior rugby.

A game between College Rifles and Carlton under-13s launched the campaign, and there was early evidence why Applaud was needed when Challis stopped the match to tell a Carlton coach to stop heckling.

Challis, who has refereed for two years, later said his mother went to every match, partly because she feared for his safety. He had been abused on average twice a season, but planned to continue to referee because: "I love rugby."

He said yesterday's incident was a reminder why Applaud was set up.

"You don't want to embarrass yourself in front of everybody."

The Herald on Sunday launched its far-reaching Sideline Champs campaign six weeks ago, encouraging fans to behave well. Statistics from Rugby NZ show referee abuse is 30 per cent down on last year.

NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Tew, whose three daughters play sport, said passionate supporters like himself found it tough to behave appropriately all the time.

"I find it incredibly frustrating - you can't let your frustrations out. You can either be positive or negative - we want them to be positive."

Applaud provides a range of tools to clubs and schools to remind supporters there is no place for abuse or bad behaviour.

Included in the material is a book, My Parents are Ugly, posters, stickers, wristbands and referee bibs. All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and other leading players feature in a promotional material and supporters are asked to sign up to a code of commitment to promote a positive environment.

Tew said it was poignant the programme was launched days after an Auckland secondary school player, Stephen Dudley, died in a fight at rugby training.

He said Applaud was a fitting adjunct to the Herald on Sunday Sideline Champs campaign, and supported the paper's initiative.

Weepu said parents should think twice before being abusive on the sideline. "The rugby environment in New Zealand is generally awesome, but Applaud is an easy reminder to supporters to stay positive."