Rugby: Ref gives points for punctuality

Cartoon / Rod Emmerson

It was the easiest points the Sacred Heart College 1st XV have ever scored, but whether they will be able to keep them is another story.

Frustrated by the slow pace shown by the Auckland Grammar School team in walking from the dressing shed to the playing field for their match on Saturday, referee Caleb Hamilton blew "time on" with only the home team ready to play.

Scarcely believing their luck, Sacred Heart raced away to score a try under the posts. The conversion gave them a 7-0 lead.

Normality then returned as the tardy AGS players lined up, seemingly with an assurance from the referee that the unopposed points would not count.

The game played its course, AGS coming from 0-10 to eventually win, on the scoreboard at least, 17-10.

The hosts obviously saw it differently, and a report from Sacred Heart to the Herald College Sport column gave a final score of 17-17.

The referee apparently handed in his card showing AGS the 17-10 winners, but Sacred Heart have lodged a protest which will be heard by the Auckland Rugby Union's Secondary Schools executive committee tonight.

The 17-10 scoreline is expected to stand, but there is plenty of support for the referee's stance.

Apparently in a similar incident last year, points were scored and stood.

Auckland Grammar admits the situation should never have arisen.

The school's director of sport, Grant Hansen, acknowledged his team were at fault.

"They were late. Absolutely," said Hansen.

"The players were later told 'you were late' and were asked 'what have you learned from it?'

"Their reply, simply 'we won't let it happen again'."

If all games - from those scheduled for early morning kick-offs through to the last matches of the day - were allowed to start late, it could lead to a delay of up to 30 minutes for the 1st XV encounters, which the union says is unacceptable.

The question of pre-match hakas has also been raised.

The North Harbour Union has decreed that any team wishing to undertake a pre-match haka must tell their opponents and the referee 30 minutes before kick-off and be ready for the haka 10 minutes before the scheduled start.

In some instances referees, frustrated by tardy teams, have started the match with a penalty on halfway - some of which have been kicked to give the punctual team an early bonus.