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'One case is one too many': Wellington club rugby cancelled as referees take stand on abuse
Sport Nation • July 8th, 2026 2:36 pm
Photo: Photosport
Wellington community rugby has been cancelled this weekend after referees withdrew their services in response to repeated abuse of match officials.
The Wellington Rugby Referees Association made the call after 19 reported incidents this season, covering junior, secondary school and senior club rugby.
Speaking on Sport Nation Mornings, association president and chair Ben van Berkel said all 19 cases had involved verbal abuse.
“We’ve had two incidents in junior rugby, four in secondary school and 13 in senior club rugby,” van Berkel said.
“Most of that has come from the players, but there’s also a number from coaches and volunteers, and a few from spectators on the sidelines too.”
Van Berkel said the incidents ranged from profanity over decisions to threats against referees and their families.
Ref abuse must end | Scotty & Izzy
New Zealand Rugby general manager of community rugby participation and development Mike Hester said it was disappointing the situation had reached this point.
“It is a bit of a blight on the game, not just rugby but across many codes,” Hester said.
“One case is one too many. The reality is everyone’s got a role to play in it.”
Hester said rugby had worked to set expectations around sideline behaviour and codes of conduct, but stronger accountability was needed when people crossed the line.
Van Berkel said if this weekend’s shutdown shocked people into better behaviour, it would be a positive outcome.
“If people realise that this shouldn’t be happening and if this is the shock to improve that, then that would be an awesome outcome,” he said.
The abuse is also making it harder to recruit and retain referees.
“We’ve found it a lot harder to attract referees and even retain referees,” van Berkel said.
“When they know that this kind of abuse is happening, it’s definitely not an attraction towards them becoming a match official.”
Hester said NZR would look at how repeat offenders could be dealt with more directly, without punishing the wider community.
van Berkel said the association did not expect to withdraw referees again this season, but would work with Wellington Rugby to use judicial processes to ensure offenders are held to account.
Listen to the full interview below:
