Brumbies forwards coach Dan McKellar has been sanctioned by SANZAAR for remarks made about referee Angus Gardner, who officiated in the Aussie side’s quarter-final loss to the Highlanders in Canberra over a week ago.
SANZAAR have stung McKellar with a $10,000 fine, half of which is suspended, for the use of crude, insulting or abusive language towards a match official.
While Stephen Larkham went on the record with his comments about the referee (to our very own Brett McKay, of all people!), there has been no indication as to what McKellar said given by SANZAAR.
Judging by the severity of the fine, it’s probably safe to guess it wasn’t complimentary.
You can read SANZAAR’s release and make your own judgment.
The full SANZAAR statement reads as follows:
A SANZAAR Judicial Hearing conducted by Terry Willis (Australia) has found the Brumbies Assistant Coach, Dan McKellar, guilty of Misconduct under the SANZAAR Code of Conduct following the Brumbies v Highlanders match on 22 July 2016.
In his finding Mr Willis concluded that, by his own admission, Mr McKellar had used crude and insulting language toward the Match Referee and as such had breached the SANZAAR Code of Conduct Sections 8.3 (k) and 8.3 (l) which states: “All persons shall not use crude, insulting or abusive language towards Match Officials.”
Mr Willis confirmed that Mr McKellar should be fined AUS$10,000 for the SANZAAR Code of Conduct breach, of which AUS$5,000 is to be suspended for a 12 month period.
Mr McKellar was also formally reprimanded and issued with a warning as to the likely consequences of further unacceptable behaviour and told that any further Code of Conduct breach within 12 months would result in the suspended AUS$5,000 becoming immediately payable.
Mr McKellar has unreservedly apologised for his behaviour to the Match Referee Angus Gardner and agreed that this type of behaviour has no place in the game.
The Judicial Officer directed that, save for the SANZAAR Chief Executive Officer responding to the media in terms consistent with this media release, no person involved in the proceedings will make any further comment in respect of this matter.
harry
Guest
Brumbies didn't deserve to win the game and that no try was a correct call player lost ball no control. Only people that should be apologizing should be Stephen moore and fardy for there embarrassing childish attempts at influencing the ref. I was well sick off them by 3/4 mark ref must have been too.
Emride
Guest
Machooka, that's a very ordinary and personal comment to make, but spoken like someone with experience in such matters... Experienced in toilets rather than rugby matters.
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Wrong that the Brumbies weren't dudded? No problem, consider IMO duly added. But I suspect that's also the opinion of 95% of those who watched the game.
Chronicle
Roar Rookie
Geoff You forgot to preface your comments with IMO otherwise IMO you are wrong.
Objective
Guest
Stood down as in refereeing a semi a week after the Brumbies game then being named as AR1 / reserve ref for the final? Plus it wasn't a try, plus they weren't penalty tries... Great post mate.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Why would the Brumbies get a penalty try from a scrum? You have to keep the ball in the scrum for it to be called a penalty.
Jhumphries81
Guest
What a ripoff. Brumbies won with the try and again with the two penalty tries from the scrums. It's no wonder the ref was stood down for the finals.
Iwillnotstandby
Guest
Jacko, you'll probably find that Larkhams language didn't breach the regulations. He wasn't crude or insulting. Just had a fairly calm and measured cracked at the quality of the decisions. So yes, good rules that let you have a say as long as you don't turn it into a personal attack.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I agree totally with you. There should have been neutral referees for all games not just the finals. I think Gardner will be the ref on the weekend.
OJP
Guest
+ 1 CUW... it just invites controversy in my view. I'm a Highlanders supporter and streamed the game vs the lions, for whatever reason I couldnt get commentary so just took the game as I saw it (Lions played better and were deserved winners). I didnt have any issue with any of Peypers calls watching the game (minus talking heads) but when I lost the stream for a bit and reverted to following the Roar's excellent blog (thanks fellas) sure enough there was some poster having a crack about the home town ref etc. Neutral ref stuffs up = mistake / incompetence Home town ref stuffs up = conspiracy / cheating
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Speaking of 'slip' Chook, here we all were, waiting for Larkham to be told to go to his room, no-Ipad for a week, and slipping under the radar was the assistant - apparently the real villain in all of this!!
Machooka
Roar Guru
I'm thinking G that poor old under-attack McKellar is probably holed-up in some public toilet cubicle somewhere between the Canberra airport and his residence. It''s also probable he's attending to a lonely, and distressed, consular staff member from some Sth American country... maybe even their gardener? Now the tricky bit... let's hope he doesn't slip!
Jacko
Guest
Pformagg I think that fine should be completely suspended. Why SANSAAR didnt act against Larkham is another question which I would like explained also
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Larkan's fine is to be the Wallabies attack coach.
Common Sense
Guest
Where's larkham's fine?
CUW
Guest
sanzaaar are also not helping the cause by appointing home refs to these matches. there are things controllable and uncontrollable in in situation - appointing a neutral ref is controllable. though a neutral ref would not have escaped the brumbies ire , it would take out any notion of home-town-reffing talk. look at the panel reffing the final 3 out of 4 are new zealanders. even if they do a brilliant job and then some, there will always be talk of home-town-reffing. i find it so silly, absurd infact, that rugger powers dont learn form other games like cricket or football, that have evoloved in the officiating side.
Geoff Parkes
Expert
SANZAAR are denying us, the rugby community, natural justice by keeping McKellar locked away. McKellar's apology isn't a proper apology unless it is done in front of the press, 'Little Britain' style, outside his house, wife and kids alongside, all sharing the shame. Interesting that the coach wasn't called to account as well - perhaps the message there is if you're going to slag the ref off, it's ok as long as you don't use foul language? The dumbest thing about all of this, is that, as upset and aggrieved as the Brumbies felt they were, they were simply wrong. They weren't dudded at all. Certainly nothing to remotely justify their (over)reaction.