Disaster strikes ref Roos
Willie Roos of South Africa has been in Japan to officiate in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Pacific Nations Cup tournament. It was going well till disaster struck.
François Veldsman has been with him as a touch judge – and then became more than a touch judge.
Roos refereed the match when Australia A beat Japan 42-21 in Fukuoka. From Fukuoka on Kyushu, the two went north to Tokyo and then further north to Sendai for the match between Japan and Tonga. That’s where Roos’s troubles began.
He tells the story.
“Japan had an easy, 35-13 win over Tonga. With about 20 minutes to play I got in the way of a player and ended up in a ruck. I fell really badly with my ankle in a bas position and had to leave the field. François Veldsman took over from me.
“I was then taken to hospital for x-rays of my ankle and was told that it was broken. I’ll be out of action for six weeks.
“I must say I’m bitterly disappointed as I’ll now not be able to referee the opening Currie Cup match between Western Province and the Sharks in Durban on Friday night.
“There is also the prospect of an uncomfortable journey to get home. First there is a three-hour train trip to Tokyo. Then there is a two-hour bus trip to Narita and then a four-hour flight to Hong Kong. After that there is the 14-hour flight from Hong Kong to Johannesburg – all of it with my ankle in plaster. It is going to be a trip to remember.
“The Japan Rugby Union (JRU) have been outstanding and have been supportive with all my hospital needs.”
That was not all, as Roos tells:
“Before I forget, there was an earthquake yesterday [Saturday morning] which registered 7.2 on the Richter Scale. There was chaos in the hotel. People were screaming and walls started cracking.
“We had to evacuate the hotel. François and I were on the eighth floor and we had to get down by the stairs.
“What a trip!”
