Brad Walter | November 28, 2008
FORMER Kiwis boss Andrew Chalmers yesterday led calls for Ricky Stuart to stand down as Australian coach as further details emerged of his hotel foyer clash with World Cup final referee Ashley Klein and England referees boss Stuart Cummings which suggest it was more than just a verbal exchange.
According to witnesses of the incident, which occurred in the foyer of Brisbane's Holiday Inn about noon last Sunday, Stuart "shoulder charged" Cummings out of the way in his bid to get to Klein, whom he allegedly called a "f---ing cheat" and "the c--- who cost us the World Cup".
A similar incident at a Wellington hotel last year resulted in French rugby union coach Bernard Laporte being forced to write an apology to Australian referee Stuart Dickinson, and ARU referees boss Peter Marshall yesterday told the Herald Stuart should have been advised to apologise immediately.
Had he done so, the issue may not still be dragging on six days after New Zealand's shock 34-20 win over the Kangaroos and set to continue until the end of next week, when an independent investigation by Robert Weber SC on behalf of the Rugby League International Federation is due to be finalised.
The findings are likely to be discussed at the Australian Rugby League's general meeting on December 9 but if the allegations are upheld, there is a growing belief within the game that Stuart should resign rather than force the board to decide his fate.
"If these allegations are found to be true then he should take the appropriate steps and resign as coach rather than put the RLIF in the awkward position of having to impose sanctions," said Chalmers, who stood down as New Zealand Rugby League chairman last year.
Aside from Chalmers, there are a number of influential people within the game who believe Stuart can no longer be the Australian coach but do not want to say so until Weber's inquiry is completed. Comments by some ARL directors supporting Stuart have given the perception that any investigation is a waste of time, but the Herald has been told support for him at board level is not unanimous.
Chalmers said: "Do people think it is all right for coaches to go around abusing referees simply because they didn't get the result they wanted? Is that the message we want to send to our kids?"
Chalmers's predecessor at the NZRL, Selwyn Bennett, was also critical of Stuart, who abused ARL chief executive Geoff Carr on the field at full-time and alleged a conspiracy against the Kangaroos.
"If he was a Kiwi, I'd be very disappointed," Bennett said. "The word is sportsmanship, and he hasn't shown much of that. At the end of the day, it's only a game of football
You've got to accept the result."
Marshall said Stuart's alleged comments towards Klein and Cummings were inappropriate at any time but particularly in a hotel foyer as they were preparing to depart for the airport.
"Anyone in an official capacity like that has to be respected, and if he was unhappy about something that happened in the game, Ricky could have asked them for a private chat," Marshall said. "Ricky is a passionate guy but the referee is just out there doing his best.
"I think the people around him should have advised him straight away to make an apology to everyone involved. If he had done that then it might have been the end of the matter. It's a shame for rugby league that this has happened. Whenever referees and match officials get abused like that it sends a negative message to the community and park level."
