Sideline Champs: School improves sideline skills

Angela Fahey and her son at her Epsom home. Her son was a member of the Auckland Grammar rugby team that was involved in an on-field brawl with De La Salle. Photo / APN

Auckland Rugby initiative aims to combat unacceptable behaviour from players and supporters.

An Auckland school involved in a high-profile rugby brawl has welcomed a new initiative aimed at improving sideline behaviour among supporters.

Last August, police were called when a 17-year-old referee was punched in the face, allegedly by a spectator, at a final between Auckland Grammar School and De La Salle College.

The offender has still not been found but two De La Salle players were banned for their part in the incident.

Angela Fahey spoke out in this week's Herald on Sunday about how she watched as her 16-year-old son's rugby match turned into an all-out scrap.

Her son was playing loosehead prop for Auckland Grammar. She said the final straw came when the referee brought the game to an early finish after punches were thrown among supporters and her boy was attacked by opposing players.

"The scariest thing was, they were fighting among themselves ... the police were there within minutes," she said.

The Herald on Sunday has launched a campaign called Sideline Champs to support good behaviour on the sidelines of sports fields and courts. The paper is backing the work being done in the winter sports codes to combat increasing numbers of "ugly" fans.

A new school initiative unveiled by the Auckland Rugby Referees Association (ARRA) and De La Salle has been trialled and supported by the school before the season kicks off this weekend.

Auckland Rugby match officials manager Smudge McNeilage has been working with the college and the ARRA to roll out a programme of events.

He commended the De La Salle staff for their proactive stance and said practical measures have been put in place for the start of the season.

"For every boy who plays rugby for De La Salle, a parent or guardian has to attend an educational evening about appropriate sideline behaviour," Mr McNeilage said.

To upskill and educate those with an active interest in the school's rugby, Mr McNeilage will run a compulsory Associate Referees Courses at the college for all coaches and managers as well as offering the same opportunity to parents and Old Boys.

There will be monitoring systems at all secondary school fixtures to ensure the standards put in place are being met, Mr McNeilage added.