Horwill fined for 'stupid' comment

James Horwill has been fined AU$2,500 for blaming his team's defeat to the Rebels earlier this month on 'a stupid refereeing decision'.

 

The Judicial Officer Nigel Hampton accepted a guilty plea from Mr Horwill of the Reds on one count of Misconduct brought against him by SANZAR. 

 

Horwill has been charged under section 8.3 (e) "All persons shall not publish or cause to be published criticism of the manner in which a Match Official handled a match."

 

Mr Horwill was fined A$2500 and ordered to apologise to SANZAR and the match officials.

 

With the scores level at 27-27 and two minutes to go, the Reds were awarded a penalty which allowed them to clear their lines and prepare for a last-ditch assault on the Rebels' lines in search of a winner.

 

The TMO Steve Lescinski, however, alerted referee Steve Walsh to what he thought had been eye-gouging by replacement forward Ed O'Donoghue on Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham.

 

After giving Lescinski several opportunities to back down, Walsh reluctantly showed O'Donoghue the red card and reversed the penalty, allowing Jason Woodward a straightforward kick that would seal a sixth successive defeat for the Reds.

 

"Once again we were robbed by a stupid refereeing decision," Horwill said in the obligatory pitchside TV interview that follows immediately after every match.

 

In his finding, Hampton ruled the following: "The player promptly admitted the substance of the conduct which formed the basis for the Misconduct complaint being brought against him and displayed a willingness to formally apologise to SANZAR and the match officials. 

 

"I deem this to be a not particularly serious case of Misconduct in the circumstances and accept that a fine of A$2500 would be an appropriate sanction.

 

"A very close match had reached a critical stage just prior to completion and the intervention by the Television Match Official led to a red card being issued to a Reds' player.

 

"The resulting penalty against the Reds was converted and led to the loss of the match by the Reds.

 

"The post-match interview followed 30 seconds after full time, in which the comments, the subject of the charge, were made.

 

"As put to me, I accept that the intervention by the Television Match Official, with the consequences that followed was very raw and fresh in the player's mind and led him to vent his frustration in the way he did.

 

"Mr Horwill has an outstanding prior record at all levels and is a recognised leader both nationally and internationally and I accept he is genuinely contrite, with the offer of an apology coming at his own volition.

 

"I balance against these features of character and past conduct with the fact that Mr Horwill should have known full well the need for respect to be shown to all match officials at all times and it was for that reason SANZAR took this Misconduct complaint."