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Sports

Something to cheer the Irish
By Vimal Perera
Ireland beat England 19-13 in the six nation championship match played recently in Dublin. Beating World Cup winners was something to cheer the Irish. Not so for Jonathan Kaplan the South African Referee who was at the receiving end of criticism for some of the decisions he made. Joining in the criticism in the post match comments were Andy Robinson the England coach and Colin High the RFU's elite referee manager who is also an IRB recognized assessor. Robinson has seen his side lose all three Six Nations matches this year. Robinson has been analyzing Kaplan's display with Colin High, the Rugby Football Union's referees' manager, and ex-international referee Steve Lander. "The International Rugby Board will be disappointed," High told the Daily Mail." Jonathan Kaplan is in the top 20 in the world but that wasn't an international performance." It would not have been acceptable in the Zurich Premiership. "If one of my referees had done that, I would have had my backside kicked for making the appointment. If any English referee refereed like that in a European match, there would be an inquest. No question about that." If someone had performed like that, he would have been pulled from the next game."

What is interesting is how the RFU reacted. The RFU disciplinary committee ruled that the post match comments of Robinson contained "no overt criticism. The RFU have formally reminded Robinson to avoid making critical comments of match officials during press conferences and interviews and to abide by the IRB Regulation 20.1.5 a section relating to the abuse of match officials.

Colin High the elite referee manger received a harsher verdict for the comments he made of Kaplan handling the game in a newspaper interview. High apologized for the comments he made in the Daily Mail. Nevertheless the RFU ruled that High’s outburst "represents a much more serious breach of IRB regulation 20.1.5.than Robinson’s and that he should be punished accordingly. The disciplinary committee recommended, the RFU should

I. Warn Collin High about his future conduct. The written warning being recorded. II. Confirm Colin High's provisional suspension from officiating as an international referee assessor by the IRB - whether he officiated again is left to the IRB selection committee.

III. Note that Colin High has written letters of apology to the IRB six nations, The south African RFU ( and particularly to Jonathan Kaplan ) and the Directors of Rugby at ZP Clubs.

IV. Ask Colin High to make a donation to the IRB's Tsunami appeal of £1.000
In a similar incident previously, that is in February Pountney was handed an RFU ban and fine.

Northampton coach Budge Pountney was fined £2,000 and banned from match-day coaching for six weeks for calling a referee "a disgrace". Pountney was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing in London. Pountney criticized referee Steve Lander's performance in Northampton's defeat by Saracens on 5 February. The last two weeks of the six-week ban are suspended. Pountney pleaded guilty to the offence before a panel .The ban means former Scotland international Pountney cannot enter the playing enclosure, technical areas or go near the touchline, tunnel or players and officials' areas on the day of a game.

Reference in taking action by the RFU is the IRB regulation 20.1.5. Regulation 20 refers to the CODE OF CONDUCT which require All Unions, Associations, Rugby Bodies, Clubs and Persons to ensure that the Game is played and conducted in accordance with disciplined and sporting behaviour and acknowledge that it is not sufficient to rely solely upon the Match Officials to maintain those principles;

Regulation 20.1.5 requires not to publish or cause to be published criticism of the manner in which a referee or touch judge handled a Match; and 20.1.6 refers to not publishing or cause to be published criticism of the manner in which Council or any other rugby disciplinary body handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter resulting from a breach of the Bye-Laws, Regulations, or Laws of the Game;

As per clause 20.2 Each Union and Association is under an obligation to and in terms of regulation 20.2.1 requires to comply with and to ensure that each of its members comply with this Code of Conduct; while article 20.2.2 to Adopt procedures to monitor compliance with and impose sanctions for breaches of the Code of Conduct by Persons under its jurisdiction.

Attaining professional status is solely not limited to the payment to players, coaches referees etc, but also having an environment suitable to conduct the game in the 'spirit 'as expected in the playing charter which is expected to be an important complement to the laws of the game and will set the standards for all those who are involved in the game at whatever level.

While the code of conduct has a place in the game another important aspect should be the adherence to regulation 4 which deals with player status, player contracts and player movement. This deals with the status and eligibility of players and their movement. There is also a requirement for clearance of a contracted player and for compensation in recognition of the investment made in the development of players These among many other aspects in the guidelines will help the game as approaches to leave one club and join another is a common worry among the lesser affluent clubs.

If rugby is to rise from the bottom of the pit, professionalism will be important, structure and guidelines will be helpful. Most of these are in the regulations and may only need modification to suit the Sri Lankan environment.

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