Gold's TMO rant making waves
This follows his bitter rant aimed a television match official.
Gold has been warned of "the likely consequences of further unacceptable behaviour", after he was fined for abusing TMO Johan Greeff during the Sharks' clash with the Crusaders two weeks ago.
The Sharks' coach was penalised AU$15,000 (ZAR175,000) – with AU$2,500 (ZAR29,000) suspended for 12 months – after he twice used crude and insulting language toward Greeff – according to the competition's governing body SANZAAR, which did not elaborate on "likely consequences", although suspension is an option.
As the competition reaches Round Seven of 17, pressure is already mounting as coaches begin working on the permutations of what is required to make the play-offs.
The Sharks and Lions are battling for the top spot in the Africa Conference Two, where the winner is guaranteed a place in the final eight.
Africa Conference One leaders Stormers face an easier weekend playing the winless Sunwolves.
The top three Australian sides, the Brumbies, Rebels and Waratahs, all have a bye – while in New Zealand competition pacesetters the Chiefs should be untroubled by their next-door neighbours and New Zealand cellar-dwellers the Blues.
Gold's outburst, which was not made public until 10 days after the match won by the Crusaders 19-14, has drawn a strong response.
Former top New Zealand referee Bob Francis told Fairfax Media the behaviour of the Sharks' coach was "an absolute disgrace".
"A fine is hardly a reasonable penalty. It's a pretty soft response," Francis said.
Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Gregor Paul said abusing a TMO was about the worst thing a coach could do and was an "obvious attempt to intimidate them".
"And yet the punishment is AU$12,500 – a figure which, measured against pay scales, is hardly going to be any deterrent to coaches. For some, the risk of verbally abusing an official during the game will financially stack up as a good investment," he said.
When asked immediately after the game whether the TMO had cost his team the game, Gold said: "We lost because the Crusaders were better than us."
Against the Lions, the Sharks would be well advised to keep the penalty count down, with Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies averaging nearly 15 points a game.
AFP
