Bok apologises to Ref

Jannie du Plessis, the burly Springbok tighthead, has apologised for his confrontation with Lourens van der Merwe, the referee of the match between the Sharks and the Reds.

Van der Merwe is a Test referee who is also a schoolmaster at Grey College in Bloemfontein, Du Plessis's old school.

During the match Van der Merwe penalised Du Plessis for his binding at the scrum and told him how it should be done, whereupon Du Plessis hit back in anger saying that Paddy O'Brien, when he was the IRB's manager of referees had gone over binding with him, ending with: "Don't lecture me."

Du Plessis, a medical doctor and a particularly friendly man, regretted his action and on the Monday phoned the referee.

He said that he had a good conversation with Van der Merwe and apologised. He said afterwards it was on the spur of the moment and he did not want to be regarded as somebody who took chances and tried to confront referees.