Rugby: Walkoff captain sidelined for 14 weeks

By SCOTT KARA and PATRICK GOWER

An Auckland rugby captain who led his team from the field in a refereeing protest has been banned for 14 weeks.

Premier two team Manukau will be suspended for a week.

Walter Lidgard, their captain, was suspended for four weeks after being sent off for punching an opponent and for 10 weeks for taking the team off the field at the weekend in protest at the refereeing of Peter Mortimer.

The team was also fined $500 and will miss its game this weekend.

The Auckland Rugby Union disciplinary committee handed out the penalties at a three-hour hearing last night.

Manukau were playing Pakuranga when Lidgard led his men off about 15 minutes before the end.

Disciplinary committee chairman Laurie Woodgate said that the last time a similar thing happened was in 1995.

Lidgard was clearly annoyed by the committee's decision.

The 39-year-old said he was only an amateur but he loved the game.

"That's the season gone for me, and at my age every season counts."

He called the decision an overreaction and said he felt for the team who were also going to suffer.

"Why should the team be penalised for a decision that I made?

"They wanted to make an example of me because of the contact I had with the Herald."

Lidgard's version of events appeared on the front page of the Herald on Monday.

He also said the hearing was one-sided because there was no right of reply and no provision for directly questioning the referee.

Lidgard, who can appeal within seven days, admitted striking the Pakuranga player, but said it was in retaliation for a punch the referee did not see.

Mr Woodgate said the punch was at the lower end of the scale but taking the team from the field was a more serious offence.

"He was wrong in taking the team from the field and was guilty of misconduct against the referee."

Whether the team should be penalised was a more complicated issue.

But Mr Woodgate said the committee believed the team "must take some responsibility" for their actions and a penalty was necessary.

"The rugby union must send a strong message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

"Referees are appointed under law six of the game and are the sole judge of law and fact. This must be protected."

Referee Mortimer did not want to comment, but said he had sent Lidgard off and that was the end of his involvement.