Former Wallabies and SIRUF mentor speaks out

BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

FORMER Wallabies and SIRUF mentor Illivasi Tabua has urged rugby bodies to be firm in their decision making for the sake of the sport.

The rugby community in Honiara is in limbo as to when the Honiara Rugby Union Association (HRUA) Premier Division grand final will be held and what the official result to the controversial Division A final will be like.

The country’s rugby union federation (SIRUF) has closed the rugby stadium, requesting HRUA to deal with its problem. HRUA, must make a decision and submit it to SIRUF, which must agree to it before schedules for the Premier Division final can be allowed to resume.

One week on, and there is still no decision reached.

Speaking to SunSPORTS yesterday, Tabua questioned the delay saying that the executive decisions have to be firm.

“Why the delay? The issues are clear and are with the executive and they have to be firm with their decisions,” Tabua told SunSPORTS.

“I have always three key things in development; I’d be the players and their knowledge of the game and the values and laws. Coaches and team management to empower their players into skill, speed and power of the game with discipline with right attitude and the referees to be well versed with the laws of the game consistency.

“There has to be a competition participation agreement and as clear indication what happened in this sort of event. And all team management and coaches should know quite clearly.

For too long this has been happen you have to put their foot down enough is enough we don’t want this in our game,” Tabua stressed.

He added that when spectators involve is a civil case, and teams walking off should face the ban.

“We can’t bring the game to disrepute, no one is bigger than the game and we don’t need it in our game,” he said.

He continued that the agreement between teams and organisers before the competition is for any regulation broken should be taken to task, according to the agreement.

“There isn’t are participation agreement, is there one in the HRUA competition? He questioned.

“Because of the duty of care to its members and stakeholders and spectators they could be liable,” he stated.

According to World Rugby regulation 17 a team walks out is a breach and 9.28 A player must not verbally abuse a Match Official.  Verbal abuse includes, but is not limited to, abuse based on: religion, colour, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation. 9.28      A player must not make physical contact with Match Officials.

In respect of offences not referred to in Appendix 1, appropriate sanctions may be imposed at the discretion of the relevant Judicial Officer, Disciplinary Committee, Appeal Officer and/or Appeal Committee (as the case may be). 

Meanwhile, current SIRUF CEO Alivereti Mocelutu told this paper that there are no decisions yet.

“We are awaiting executive decision on that with HRUA in the next meeting for updates,” Mocelutu said.

Discover more from Theislandsun

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading