Sanzaar ‘disappointed’ with blunder
Sanzaar has taken urgent steps to prevent a repeat of the embarrassing blunder that could have cost the Crusaders a win in their Super Rugby match in Brisbane last weekend.
Officials refused to believe the Crusaders’ management staff when they said substitute first five-eighth Mitchell Hunt had been concussed in the final minutes of the match against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium, which forced the defending champions to take Richie Mo’unga, who was entitled to come back on the park as a legitimate replacement, off the park.
The officials obstinate attitude resulted in the Crusaders, who had already emptied their bench, having to play with only 14 men for the final six minutes and they conceded a try when replacement forward Scott Higginbotham was able to exploit the depleted defensive wall.
Questions about the incident from Stuff to Sanzaar referees boss Lyndon Bray were referred to Sanzaar media and communications manager Greg Thomas, who issued a statement last night.
‘‘Sanzaar has today confirmed that sideline match officials made an incorrect ruling towards the end of the Reds versus Crusaders match on Saturday 2nd March in Brisbane,’’ it said.
‘‘Hunt was then replaced by Mo’unga, despite Crusaders having used all their substitutions, as allowed by the same HIA (Head Injury Assessment) protocols. Unfortunately a sideline official determined that as no HIA had been carried out Hunt was simply injured and therefore not allowed to be replaced. This led to Mo’unga incorrectly being taken from the field at the 74 minute mark.
‘‘Sanzaar is disappointed that the HIA protocols, introduced into the game as player welfare measure, were wrongly interpreted and is taking steps to ensure such incidents do not occur moving forward.’’
The Crusaders were relieved to escape with a victory, as they
began to wilt in the Queensland humidity. The result could have been closer if Reds flanker Liam Wright had been awarded a try in the 70th minute, but it was disallowed by the TMO because of obstruction.
After the match Crusaders coach Scott Robertson told Stuff that the officials later accepted they had made a mistake and issued an apology. Marius van der Westhuizen, who refereed the game, spoke to his sideline staff as the debacle unfolded. It appeared that, after heeding their advice, he told a confused Mo’unga to get off the park.
‘‘Look, there was confusion,’’ Robertson told Stuff on Sunday. ‘‘The word ‘injury’ was mentioned and I am not sure how, or where . . . that was where it started.
‘‘The guy on the sideline said Richie had to come off and we said ‘no, because it was HIA [to Hunt]. And then afterwards we got an apology, which is a bit late.’’
Sanzaar will be determined there is no repeat of such an incident, given the need to adhere to the laws around head injuries. Hunt did not go up the tunnel to have an HIA because he had been knocked out. That meant he could be taken straight to the sideline by medical staff.
‘‘That was the point. He didn’t even go for an HIA check, he was just straight off,’’ Robertson added. ‘‘They believed he was knocked out, so it was just straight off.
‘‘And that is where the confusion started [among the officials], we believe.’’