'It is as bad as I’ve seen': Referee abuse in spotlight
Southland is struggling to find referees, and it is said the biggest obstacle to recruitment is the abuse referees face.
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Southland’s rugby referees appear to have taken unprecedented action in an attempt to halt what is said to be an increasing level of abuse.
Saturday’s Bluff v Pioneer senior Division One game did not go ahead. The Tribune understands the Rugby Southland Referees Association chose not to send a referee.
That decision followed concerns raised from a Division 1 match seven days earlier between Bluff and Tokanui.
It’s understood there has been accusations of racial comments being made from spectators, and tension rose when some zeroed in on the ref to address the situation.
Rugby Southland Referees chairman Andrew Rowland declined to speak about that particular situation.
However, speaking generally, Rowland confirmed the organisation has real concerns over an increasing level of referee abuse in 2025.
“I know I say every year that it is as bad as I’ve seen it, and every year it keeps outdoing me,” he told The Tribune.
Southland is struggling to find referees, and the biggest obstacle to recruitment was the abuse officials faced, he said.
It was threatening the sustainability of the game, and it simply had to stop, Rowland said.
As an example, there are 48 games this week alone that the Rugby Southland Referees Association is trying to supply officials for. Catering for that number is becoming more challenging by the year as referee numbers decline.
“For us as referees, we are part of the game, and we are not above it and beyond reproach, but we are also deserving of the same respect and safety as every other participant in the game,” Rowland said.
“We are making these decisions in real time; we don’t have TV cameras or TMOs.”
Rowland is a Rugby Southland Referees Association life member and is still an active referee.
He has seen firsthand the level of sideline abuse on display in Southland, which for him got to the point that his family opted not to come along and watch.
Rugby Southland CEO Hua Tamariki said it has undertaken enquiries to address the concerns raised about the June 7 game between Tokanui and Bluff.
It was then decided to defer the Bluff-Pioneer game scheduled for Saturday.
“The decision was not taken lightly; however, it was necessary until the matter could be appropriately addressed,” Tamariki said.
A meeting was held on Monday night with relevant parties and, as a result, Tamariki did not anticipate any further disruption to all Southland-wide competition fixtures scheduled for this week and beyond.
In the coming days, the Rugby Southland Advisory Committee will be provided with information to help determine what will happen to the Bluff-Pioneer fixture that did not go ahead on Saturday.
Tamariki said the situation, alongside two unrelated incidents in other Southland-wide competitions this year, had brought to light examples of unacceptable behaviour that have no place in the sport.
“This includes inappropriate sideline conduct by spectators, players, and teams, involving derogatory language directed at individuals and teams based on race, gender, sexual preference, and age,” Tamariki said.
He said administrators, volunteers, and passionate fans all have a role to play as custodians of our game, to create a community rugby environment that is inclusive, respectful, and safe for all.
Come on people, surely we can do better as a society