Remorseful Waratahs lock Justin Harrison has said he will comply with any suspension or fine meted out after admitting on Wednesday to racially vilifying a black South African rugby player.
The towering second-rower owned up to making a racial slur directed towards Cats winger Chumani Booi in last weekend’s Super 12 match in Johannesburg after initial reports had indicated Harrison’s teammate Nathan Grey had made the comments.
Grey strenuously denied the allegations on Wednesday morning, saying in a statement he had heard the remarks during the match and was personally appalled.
After hearing of the reports, Harrison contacted the Waratahs team management, admitting the comments were made by him.
”Having had the benefit of hindsight now and indeed immediately when the situation did occur on the field, it’s something I am incredibly remorseful over and will regret for the rest of my life,” said Harrison.
”It was a very, very poor attempt to sledge a player on the sporting field — one which had racial overtones, which is by no means indicative of my nature.
”I am extremely remorseful for what I’ve said and done and will do whatever it takes to make the situation right.
”I would understand any result that is given from a hearing process that will be no doubt undertaken.”
The incident occurred during the early stages of the match on Sunday, with Cats fullback Conrad Jantjes telling the Afrikaans daily newspaper Beeld what he believed Grey had said.
”Within the first five minutes, there was an up-and-under on Chumani. When he went to ground, I was part of the ruck and I heard Nathan say to Booi: ‘Leave the ball, you stinking black cunt’,” the newspaper quoted Jantjes as saying.
”I was totally shocked. I don’t want to say for one minute that guys do not make rude remarks on the field, but that was a bit over the top.”
SA Rugby spokesperson Rayaan Adriaanse said the Cats lodged an official complaint on Tuesday.
Waratahs chief executive Fraser Neill said he is now waiting on an official report from Super 12’s governing body, Sanzar, and feels it is improper to sanction Harrison without the proper processes being followed.
”We did consider taking action internally and hearing it ourselves,” he said.
”However, we are very conscious of the processes involved and the Sanzar judicial rules, and not wishing to compromise them in any way, and as such we have referred that on to Sanzar, the ARU [Australian Rugby Union] and overnight, when they wake up, Sarfu [SA Rugby].
”We’ve been through the rules, and the rules say you have to go through this [Sanzar’s disciplinary] officer. We don’t want to create any instance where there is two trials simultaneously going ahead.”
Sanzar’s tournament management spokesperson, Paul Hodgson, said from New Zealand that the New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU) is doing the right thing by not weighing into the matter until the peak body has.
Hodgson said he expects to receive a report on the incident on Thursday.
Punishment ranges from a fine to suspension, with Neill saying he will not rule out action from the NSWRU once Sanzar has come to its conclusions.
Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie admitted it is something the side could have done without ahead of their match against the Stormers at Aussie Stadium on Saturday night.
”Anything other than rugby is a risk of being a distraction; we’ll just see how things unfold and deal with them how they come,” McKenzie said. ”Obviously whatever happens we’ll accept and get on with it.”
McKenzie said he does not feel racism is endemic in his squad and did not speak specifically to all the players about what transpired.
”We are not talking about a situation here that is repeated, frequent or whatever. We are talking a one-off situation. Obviously it’s disappointing but I don’t think it is an issue for our team.”
Harrison has played 83 Super 12 matches and represented the Wallabies on 34 occasions.
The 30-year-old recently signed a three-year contract to play with Irish side Ulster at the completion of this season. — Sapa-AAP