North Harbour escape with fine in Alcock row

By CHRIS RATTUE

Common sense has prevailed in the Chad Alcock eligibility row, with North Harbour being fined $7500 for playing the South African in two games before his international clearance had arrived.

The New Zealand Rugby Union-appointed lawyer, Nick Davidson, ruled North Harbour should not lose competition points for playing Alcock against Southland and Wellington - before receiving clearance - because they had not deliberately breached the rules.

Southland backed the decision last night. But Wellington chief executive Malcolm Holmes said his union would wait for Davidson's full report and might seek further information before considering an appeal which it had 10 days to make.

Holmes would not comment on whether Wellington were due the points from the NPC game won by North Harbour.

Davidson was also asked to rule on Alcock's eligibility to continue playing in the NPC because technically he was not registered before the cut-off date for signing new players, which is round four.

He said North Harbour had been careless, but acted in good faith.

"In some cases, particularly of deliberate breach or recklessness, points deduction would clearly be appropriate," Davidson said.

He was not going to apply a "strict technical interpretation" on the cut-off date, as Alcock was in the North Harbour squad before round four.

The loss of points, or the impressive Alcock for that matter, would have devastated North Harbour's NPC hopes.

North Harbour chief executive Doug Rollerson said: "I'm disappointed that we have to pay the fine, but there was a misdemeanour and it was partly our fault.

"Process needs to be followed in these matters ... I thought Nick Davidson was outstanding in his feeling for the game."

Rollerson said his union should have checked that the clearance from the South African Rugby Union and Eastern Province, as required by the IRB, had arrived at the NZRFU.

The problem was quickly sorted out when it was discovered the paperwork had not arrived because of a delay at Eastern Province.

NPC points table