All Blacks first five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens was fined 2 000 New Zealand dollars ($940) on Thursday for his comments criticising South African referee Andre Watson following the Bledisloe Cup rugby loss to Australia in Sydney last month.
The New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) and Mehrtens ”agreed” on the fine, according to an NZRFU statement.
Mehrtens’ comments were downgraded from a ”serious” breach of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Players’ Code of Conduct to ”ordinary” misconduct under the Collective Agreement. They decided a suspension was not an appropriate punishment.
The South African Rugby Union had complained about the comments.
Mehrtens was reported as saying Watson should be ”ashamed of himself” for his performance in New Zealand’s last-minute 14-16 loss to the Wallabies.
”I accept that my comments were inappropriate and that I deserve the penalty I have received,” Mehrtens said.
NZRFU acting chief executive Steve Tew was pleased Mehrtens has suggested the penalty, which was a ”nice way” to resolve the issue.
”We can’t have our top players critical of match officials outside the process they have available to them,” Tew told reporters.
”Otherwise how can we expect little Johnny’s mum and dad to leave the referee alone at Kilbirnie Park on a Saturday morning.” – Sapa-AFP