The Blue Bulls have fired stadium announcer Rian van Heerden for making derogatory remarks aimed at the visiting Australian Waratahs during last Friday evening’s Super 12 match at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria, SABC radio news reported.
This follows the Waratahs indicating that they would lodge an official complaint with South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby, the Super 12’s controlling body, because Van Heerden referred to them as ”sheep rooters”.
The Blue Bulls Company said derogatory remarks about the opposition had no place at Loftus Versveld.
Van Heerden will be replaced for the Bulls’ next home fixture against the Cats on May 8.
According to news reports, the Waratahs’ team manager said: ”The comments were throughout the game, stuff like: ‘we thought this was a good rugby team, go back to Australia you’re hopeless,’ and things like that.
”The last remark was the one that really got to me. When they scored the last try and he said: ‘go back to Australia you Aussie sheep-rooters.’ We thought there was no need for that.”
Van Heerden was fired two seasons ago when he made similarly offensive remarks against several visiting teams in Afrikaans. – Sapa