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Tue 2 Sep 2014 | 10:23
Ben Tameifuna cited for big shove on referee Glen Jackson

13
Comments

Waikato prop Ben Tameifuna has been cited for pushing referee Glen Jackson during the ITM Cup round 3 match vs North Harbour on Saturday night. The charge is for acting against the spirit of good sportsmanship, and he looks likely to be found guilty.

The incident - alleged according to the disciplinary statement, but quite clear from the video - occurred late in the game as Waikato attempted to hold out the opposition. With Tameifuna on the tryline, Jackson got in his way, so he gave him a bit of a shove to clear his defensive line.

Jackson didn't appear too bothered about it, barely looking in the All Black tourist's direction. Irony, or perhaps karma, was at play though as the former professional flyhalf was given the chance to show yellow to the giant prop just seconds later.

The two incidents weren't related, but one has to wonder if there would have been a talking to if the slowing down of the ball didn't happen. Perhaps Tameifuna apologised as it happened.

Following the match, the incident was picked up by Citing Commissioner John Wootton, who cited under law 10.4 (m), which deems that a player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure.

The review will take place tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday 3 September, by Judicial Officer Chris Morris via video conference. Waikato held on to win the match 22-16, after Tameifuna had earlier scored a try in the first half.

View similar incidents in the Related Posts, featuring Brian Mujati shoving Nigel Owens in the back, Neil Best pushing George Clancy out of his way, and Lifeimi Mafi actually tackling a referee. There are a few other good ones there too, as well as some typically hard-hitting Big Ben Tameifuna clips.

Posted By: Grant Constable

13 Comments

  • browner
    12:20 PM 06/09/2014

    5 WK ban is paltry and too low. Deliberate and unnecessary double handed shove that didn't represent a bona-fide 'referee obstruction trying to encourage him outta the way" action + no concern shown at the time , and post match apology is lip service.

    Should have been 12-16 was, all grassroots referees will get an uncomfortable feeling seeing such leniency for a premeditated and unnecessary (watch his eyes & footwork) assault on a ref.

    Perhaps the ban shortness means he's due for NZAB selection soon?!!

  • drg
    6:09 PM 04/09/2014

    "The obstruction resulted in a try"

    Said the scrum half after the 30 stone prop scored. XD

    Sorry.. I couldn't resist!

  • drg
    6:07 PM 04/09/2014

    Not a prop, but Hooker Brian Moore certainly put in an admirable effort:

    http://www.rugbydump.com/2010/03/1316/brian-moores-flawless-refereeing-debut

  • drg
    6:05 PM 04/09/2014

    Surely you must have enjoyed the reaction more than the incident itself???

    Fly half = 1
    Prop = 0

    I've got to admit, he was a bit too close to the action, but it was still an unnecessary shove...at least that hard anyway.

  • 12:54 AM 04/09/2014

    "....It seems it is mostly backs who get into refereeing..."

    There's a reason for that, couldn't see a prop keeping up with the play once he's retired

  • 3:16 PM 03/09/2014

    Well a one handed shove instead of two handed might have been a start??

  • porky
    11:50 AM 03/09/2014

    Agree with most of the sentiments here. Moving the ref out of necessity isnt an issue but I feel that the actions here go beyond that. The power of the shove and the lack of urgency needed fo his defensive duties make this more serious IMO

    I fairly regularly had to brush past referees playing at a decent (not pro) level and it was alway to move him to one side and I would always shout 'Sorry Sir' so he knew the score.

    They really need Glen Jacksons comments, if he was off balance and it was only a gentle nudge and he tripped then we are overreacting. Likewise if the player apologise at the time of quickly afterwards. If this is not the case and it is just as it appears in the vid then I say take strong action

  • facepalm
    4:25 PM 02/09/2014

    As for Tameifuna, he's obviously acted like scum. Totally unnecessary to the defensive cause.

    As for the attackers, instead of aiming for the try line they could have aimed for the base of the post. Can't see any way the would have been stopped.

  • eddie-g
    3:13 PM 02/09/2014

    Here's the JO's dilemma - the letter of the law is pretty much as you spelled it out. The spirit I would argue is a bit more grey, in that everyone accepts that there could be contact, even deliberate contact in a situation like that (defending your line, with the ref in the way), and putting an arm out to push the ref to the side is really no big deal.

    So in the end he'll effectively be adjudicating that Ben pushed Jackson too hard. And the reasoning will have to strike a balance between the letter and the spirit of the law... not easy.

  • eddie-g
    2:32 PM 02/09/2014

    Eh, glad I'm not the judicial officer here... The general rule is of course that thou shalt not lay hands on an official, and if you want to take a hard line, I guess you ban Big Ben for a good while.

    But to me it's just not an aggressive move by Ben. Had he pushed Jackson a little less hard, and had he not fallen over, there'd be no incident to discuss. Jackon clearly is in his way, and as a former player, I'm sure he'd fully understand a player pushing him to the side in the circumstance.

    If Big Ben were protesting a decision, or showing some other dissent or raw aggro toward the ref, that would be another thing. But he's not really doing that, he was just a bit silly pushing off Jackson as hard as he did. So perhaps a week ban or so, obviously if he does it again, you come down on him much harder.

  • stroudos
    2:24 PM 02/09/2014

    I'd really like to see a proper ban for this. Completely unnecessary. Yes, I understand Tameifuna's frustration to some extent - bloody infuriating when the ref is constantly getting in the way. But in this case, Jackson was already backpedalling to clear the area and would have been out of the way a split second later anyway - that's why I say it was unnecessary.

    Add to that the fact that this is rugby, where you don't even talk to the ref, laying your hands on him at all is massively poor form; this kind of forceful shove is incredibly out of order.

  • katman
    1:59 PM 02/09/2014

    Can't do that. Mujati did something similar a while back. Could be a prop thing.

  • 10stonenumber10
    1:45 PM 02/09/2014

    He wouldn't have flown so far if it wasn't Tameifuna. He was too close to the action, and right in the defensive line!

    Glen Jackson refereed a few of my U18 and 'open' 7s tournaments. This was in 2008 though. Good bloke. It's not that I don't respect referees, but compared to the usual 40 something sports teacher, we listened... and both teams lined up to shake his hand after! You are much more likely to listen to a call when the ref is right within the action rather than 10yds away wishing they didn't have 4 cigarettes and bacon for breakfast.

    I would like to see more professionals pick up a whistle when they retire. No disrespect to the current crop of referees, but how many have had top flight or international playing experience within the last 5-10 years? It seems it is mostly backs who get into refereeing, i'm thankful, GJ watched offsides and late hits very closely!

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