Referee’s post-punch return to the rugby field
A rugby referee says he had some anxiety about getting back out on the field after he was viciously punched in the face by a disgruntled player.
Referee Paul Van Deventer was punched by Freyberg Bs player Pama Paisami after a match against the Linton Army Bs at Linton Military Camp.
Van Deventer suffered a broken nose, a cut requiring stitches, and concussion.
Following the July attack, Van Deventer took some time off, but is back on the paddock and has since refereed two games.
‘‘There was slight trepidation I guess. It will always be there in the back of my mind.’’
He said his first game back was just like a usual rugby match. But while refereeing a finals match for his second game, he noticed the players were better behaved while TV news cameras were filming the game.
‘‘Normally finals are pretty heated, but no. They were well behaved. But that could have been because the cameras were there.’’
Apart from a red scar across the bridge of his nose, which is still healing, Van Deventer said he was physically and mentally back to full health.
‘‘I’m fine now. I’ve been enjoying just getting back into it.’’
After Freyberg lost the game 28-23, Paisami walked up to Van Deventer and instead of shaking hands, Paisami punched him.
Paisami told police he was unhappy with losing and some of the calls Van Deventer made during the match.
The Manawatu club rugby player copped a life ban from the sport, but he is unlikely to go to prison for the assault.
The 27-year-old labourer’s employment has counted in his favour, Judge Gerard Lynch said in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday.
He admitted a common assault charge and was released on bail until sentencing in September.
Van Deventer said he did not want to comment on Paisami’s court proceedings.
He said the message he wanted to share was that any abuse towards referees, verbal or physical, was not OK.
He said there was only a small fraction of players who were abusive and ‘‘spoilt it’’ for everyone else.
Van Deventer has been playing rugby for most of his life, and refereeing games in Manawatu for about four years. He said referees were committed and spent a lot of their own time at the field each week to ensure players had a good game.