Waratahs v Blues, Saturday 28 March, Round 7 2015

[baz]

I note the question of WHO made the "formal complaint" was cleverly avoided in SANZAR statement
If it was Peyper then.....
stil big trouble ahead

 

[Braveheart81]

There's now an article on the SANZAR website.

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/investigation-following-waratahs-v-blues-match/

SANZAR confirms that it received a formal complaint in regard to the alleged conduct of Waratahs head coach, Michael Cheika, following the Waratahs v Blues match played at Allianz Stadium on Saturday 28 March.
After undertaking a thorough investigation, including receiving statements from all parties involved, it was determined that Mr Cheika had approached the match referee, Jaco Peyper, in front of the other match officials to seek clarification on a scrum interpretation during the half time break of the Waratahs v Blues match.
In a short and polite exchange that took place in the referee's change room, Mr Peyper responded to Mr Cheika's request for clarification. No other issues were discussed. Both Mr Cheika and Mr Peyper have subsequently acknowledged this exchange should not have taken place and apologised.
There is no evidence that the referee was influenced by the exchange in his handling of the match, nor in the circumstances has there been a breach of the SANZAR Code of Conduct and no further action will be taken.
SANZAR has issued formal warnings to both Mr Cheika and Mr Peyper and has written to all referees and coaches, reminding them that no discussions should take place between the match officials and coaches during a match.

 

[Bullrush]

Of course it wouldn't be a penalty if Kaino was the ball carrier. The law refers to a tackler not tackling a player above the line of the shoulders. Kaino's shoulder hitting Dennis in the eyebrow would suggest that the tackle was too high.

I don't agree with the yellow card because Dennis did drop slightly into the tackle. If you're a defender and you're relying on the ball runner not dropping the slightest bit into contact to ensure your tackle isn't high you're going to be caught out regularly though. The onus will always be on the tackler, not the ball carrier.

I can definitely see how bad this looks. It seems fairly certain though that if it was as bad as it looks, more action would have been taken. Do you really think if Cheika had bailed up Peyper in the rooms and physically or verbally intimidated him it wouldn't have been taken further?

I think it's definitely out of the ordinary and the rule exists because it isn't appropriate but I think the reaction afterwards indicates that there's nothing further to it.

Kaino seemed to indicate that it was a head clash rather than his shoulder anyway, yellow card was a poor decision.

The facts paint a very bad picture and to ignore it or minimise it simply because of the actions afterwards - which we don't know even exactly know what was said or what Cheika's explanation was - just makes the look worse.

From this article, it looks like the Blues aren't the only ones not happy with what happened or the very bare explanation following.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11429676

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Pretty silly action by Chieka who should know much better, and is already on some form of suspended sentence for the issue with the cameraman in Sefrika.

 

[Bullrush]

Pretty silly action by Chieka who should know much better, and is already on some form of suspended sentence for the issue with the cameraman in Sefrika.

It just amazing that neither Cheika or Peyper himself knew that this was a breach of conduct?!

It's also unbelievable for SANZAR to now say

"nor in the circumstances has there been a breach of the Sanzar Code of Conduct and no further action will be taken."
Did Cheika, as the coach, have a discussion with the official during the game? Yes? Then it's a breach.

 

[Braveheart81]

It just amazing that neither Cheika or Peyper himself knew that this was a breach of conduct?!

It's also unbelievable for SANZAR to now say

"nor in the circumstances has there been a breach of the Sanzar Code of Conduct and no further action will be taken."
Did Cheika, as the coach, have a discussion with the official during the game? Yes? Then it's a breach.

I think this is just a reflection that the SANZAR Code of Conduct is not the only place where rules and policies exist.

Cheika can breach a rule without breaching the code of conduct.

 

[Bullrush]

I think this is just a reflection that the SANZAR Code of Conduct is not the only place where rules and policies exist.

Cheika can breach a rule without breaching the code of conduct.

Is the rule part of the Code of Conduct? If so, then he breached the Code.

 

[Braveheart81]

Is the rule part of the Code of Conduct? If so, then he breached the Code.

I'm assuming it isn't because SANZAR said that the Code of Conduct wasn't breached.

 

[Jagman]

In any case it's possible to contravene a code of conduct without breaching it, e.g. Kurtley.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I suppose its too much to ask if anyone has a copy of the SANZAR code of conduct?

 

[Bullrush]

I suppose its too much to ask if anyone has a copy of the SANZAR code of conduct?

I had a quick look online and couldn't find anything

 

[fatprop]

Whatever Cheika said clearly wasn't considered to be abusive by the refs. Because if it was, the Tahs and Wobs would be looking for a new coach.

 

[cyclopath]

Whatever Cheika said clearly wasn't considered to be abusive by the refs. Because if it was, the Tahs and Wobs would be looking for a new coach.

The breach was being in the refs room during the match. The article clearly states the exchange was polite. It was what was discussed, not how it was discussed. He should not have asked Peyper a question, and Peyper should not have answered it.

 

[terry j]

The breach was being in the refs room during the match. The article clearly states the exchange was polite. It was what was discussed, not how it was discussed. He should not have asked Peyper a question, and Peyper should not have answered it.

I got more that the problem was when it was discussed. During the game.

 

[cyclopath]

I got more that the problem was when it was discussed. During the game.

True. Poor phrasing on my part.

 

[Bullrush]

I can't imagine the uproar that would be coming from Australia if this had been a kiwi coach doing this against an Aussie team.

And it's not like Cheika doesn't have a record.

If he wasn't the Wallabies coach with a 6 month suspension over his head and a RWC around the corner, I'd say he'd be in bigger trouble than this BS 'warning'.

 

[Bullrush]

I did find the ARU Code of Conduct which says:

All participants in the game are bound:

not to do anything which adversely affects or reflects on or discredits the game, the ARU, any Member Union or Affiliated Union of the ARU, or any squad, team, competition, tournament, sponsor, official supplier or licensee, including, but not limited to, any illegal act or any act of dishonesty or fraud.

 

[Grant NZ]

I did find the ARU Code of Conduct which says:

I saw a similar provision in the SARU one.

If there is such a provision in the SANZAR Code, then about half the SANZAR officials should be held accountable starting with whoever decided non neutral refs were a good idea, then who ever presided over that clusterfk of a judiciary for Frans Steyn, then whoever decided Liam Messam is allowed to choke people, then whoever thought this Cheika thing wasn't going to become public knowledge.

 

[qwerty51]

I can't imagine the uproar that would be coming from Australia if this had been a kiwi coach doing this against an Aussie team.

And it's not like Cheika doesn't have a record.

If he wasn't the Wallabies coach with a 6 month suspension over his head and a RWC around the corner, I'd say he'd be in bigger trouble than this BS 'warning'.

Well what jurisdiction do SANZAR have over Cheika as an international coach? It would be interesting one for sure. I mean if he got banned as the Tahs coach right now it's not such a big deal given he's leaving and they've announced Gibson as the replacement already. I assume he would be banned from TRC matches however but they couldn't do anything about non-SANZAR matches could they.

 

[Pfitzy]

I can't imagine the uproar that would be coming from Australia if this had been a kiwi coach doing this against an Aussie team.

Just go to thesilverfern.com and then swap a few names of the parties involved. That would be about right.