SRU cracks down on ref abuse with hefty bans

THE Scottish Rugby Union has hit two club players with bans of nine and ten weeks as part of a clampdown on abuse of match officials.

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Selkirk captain Andrew Renwick and Morgan Academy FP centre Douglas Russell were subject to disciplinary hearings following matches between Selkirk and Watsonians at Philiphaugh and Morgan Academy FP and Perthshire at North Inch, both on Saturday 31 August.

The disciplinary panel suspended Renwick for nine weeks up to and including Saturday, 2 November 2013 and Russell for ten weeks up to and including Saturday, 9 November 2013.

A memorandum was issued after the SRU’s agm in June stating that dissent was “wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated, irrespective of whether it is on the field by a player or off the field by players, coaches or club officials”.

The SRU’s head of regulation Graham Ireland said: “We made it clear at the annual general meeting that referee abuse is unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated.

“This was followed up with advice to referees and members of the independent disciplinary panel, in the ‘Disciplinary Memorandum: Abuse of match officials’, a copy of which was provided to all our clubs at the start of the season.

“Given that respect is one of our sport’s core values, it is disappointing to see that these two individuals, to date, have not taken on board what we have said.

“However, hopefully the sanctions imposed by the independent panel will acts a deterrent to others and that there will be no repeat of such behaviour throughout the remainder of the season.”

The updated guide to Scottish Rugby’s discipline rules, and the memorandum in respect of referee abuse, are available to download from www.scottishrugby.org/values/discipline.