/ 11 November 2008

Charges against Watson dismissed

Charges against controversial Springbok loose forward Luke Watson have been dismissed, it was reported on Tuesday.

Charges against controversial Springbok loose forward Luke Watson have been dismissed, Independent Online (IOL) reported on Tuesday.

It said the South African Rugby Union (Saru) failed to show that the presiding officer in the matter had the authority to hear the case in the first place.

The issue related to controversial comments the Bok flanker reportedly made at the Ubumbo Rugby Club at UCT last month.

The hearing lasted 90 minutes, with the presiding officer, attorney Nape Dolamo, agreeing with Watson’s legal counsel, Jeremy Gauntlett SC and Matthew Blumberg.

Watson’s father, Cheeky, told IOL the way Saru had targeted his son was ”madness”.

Watson was in hot water for allegedly saying he wanted to vomit on the Springbok jersey and for allegedly calling Afrikaners ”Dutchmen”. — Sapa