All junior, senior and college rugby games in Horowhenua-Kapiti this weekend have all been called off.
CEO Craig Kennett has warned that he'd do this if there was serious abuse of any referees, and unfortunately one ref had to be escorted to their car last week because of risks to their safety.
Craig spoke to D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Story of the day. They've made good on their promise
to postpone rugby in Hottifu a corpany if there were
further repeats of atrocious sideline the behavior directed at the referee.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Wow. They've done it.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And we are joined now by the chief executive officer
of the Hot Off Carpety Rugby Union. He joins us now,
Corey Kennett. Corey, good evening.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Hey, Darcy.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Wow, looks like it finally happened. For those who don't know,
so only a few weeks ago that Corey Kennet and
the crew at Hot Off Capity Rugby Football Union decided
if there was going to be any problems on the
field or sideline specifically, they would can the entire following weekend. Corey,
it's come to that, which in itself is sad. Just
(01:02):
tell us or lead us up to what happened here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah, as you mentioned, look, we do a line in
the sand. We made our statement, we said what we were
going to do in support of our hard working volunteer
match officials, referees, and we've been monitoring the situation very
carefully and sadly, last weekend we had an event that
(01:27):
met the threshold. So through consultation from our whole rugby ecosystem,
all of our affiliated associations, our clubs, our Rugby committee
and their board, they have all unanimously voted to pull
the trigger. So as a result of this deplorable behavior,
there will be no rugby this coming weekend twenty eighth
(01:51):
within Hotopheneur carpeting.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Can you describe the situation that unfolded, Corey.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I have to be cognizant, Darcy that it is under
a judicial process, but what I can say is it
was abhorrent and the abuse was from multiple We're talking
about people that are at games, spectators, players, team team management,
to the point that at the end of the game,
(02:19):
the referee, the end of the good individuals, good public individuals.
We're so concerned about the referee safety that he was
escorted to his car.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
So this is all targeted at the referee from a
number of different parties at the game itself.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, and as we talked about last time, Darcy, this
is a nationwide epidemic and what we've had since we've
made our statement is innumerable amount of calls telling us, hey,
this is happening in our space, This is happening, that
is happening. You know, people go to a game, they've
just lost a lot of people. Sorry, some people that
(02:59):
go to the games have just lost their their their standards,
their respect, their you know, just their humanity to what
these people are trying to do. These individuals, these volunteers,
the time they've given up the service, just genuine service.
And so it is never one area, It is never
(03:20):
just one team or one club. You know, probably the
biggest message to come out of this, this is a
nationwide epidemic and we just need everybody to stand up
for our referees so that they can feel supported and
feel safe in doing the amazing job they do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Can you be more precisive where this happened and what
level are we talking about? What league they's seenors at
school kids?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What is this? Once again where we're go into too
many specific details, but as if to say that this
particular incident was at college rugby, Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What's the pushback being like or what's the reaction been
like from everybody involved with Hotophenom carpety rugby? And this
is right through then, as you said, you I spoke
with a lot of different people, everybody engaged in it.
So what was the general reaction when you did as
you said, Paul the trigger?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Isn't it funny? Mate? When you when you're in confronted
with something that's horrendous and negative, you you always get
you get green shoots of positivity and you see people's
integrity come through. We have had unanimous positive support that
we need to do this where we you know, we've
got so that's representatives of junior rugby, this is little
(04:39):
kids ripper rugby, so that won't be played this weekend.
We got Premier Year, the best, the best rugby players
in our province, they won't be playing this weekend. We
got clubs that have got Old Timers Day scheduled for
this coming weekend. They support it, They've postponed their old
Timers days. You know, we got the whole ecosystem, and
just so proud of our people that have that have
(05:01):
stood up and saying this is not good enough. We're
not gonna we're not gonna past the standard. We're going
to We're going to do something. So it's going to hurt.
We all love our footy. You know, it's it's it's
everything to us. But we feel that if we did nothing,
you know what sort of message is that sending to
(05:24):
the people that commit that you know, this this sort
of crap.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Besides Corey missing out on the fact is the games himself.
How else will this hurt community? Rugby hoff a carpety Rugby,
what else is going to hit you?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
You know, just the fact that all of our all
of our clubs and our schools, you know that they
are the lightning rod, the collection point for just a
huge amount of positivity, you know. So yeah, it's missing
out of the games, but everybody has a fantastic experience
like it does up and down the country when they
get together. So missing out on that just to catch
(06:01):
up positivity. You're not taking a financial you're not taking
a financi till either or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
That's not going to hit you in your pocket or.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Look for clubs, it will every every the same with
every club up and down the country. Every every time
club's host the game, there will be a little bit
of revenue. So yep, there will there will be there
will be some financial loss in that regard. But for us,
those circumstances that are that are mitigated by the the
(06:31):
overall greater good.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
What happens now, what's the next point of action? Playingly
not going to be playing across the grades this weekend,
and you said it's going to be looked at if
this is at an ends at our level, how does
this develop from now on in?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah? Yeah, so so for us, you know, the is
we've said in our previous statement this this round of
games will be will be picked up. Our competition has
including this round of games four weeks to go into
a final of our club right college rugby and junior rugby.
More so for us going forward, you know, we don't
(07:15):
have a huge amount of weeks into the season, but
then so those will be picked up. In regards to
jed R, i'd lead them to speak about that, and
we know that they support our decision. And in regards
to maybe the other provincial unions up and down the country,
(07:36):
that's up to them how they handle it. But I
know that we've had huge amounts of messages of support
from other provincial unions and how they're trying to address
the very same mission.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's all under review, but likely sanctions the offending parties
may be never allowed back to these grounds or any
grounds involved, as far as you can go here, Corey.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Well, what I can talk about, Darcy is previous incidents
that are somewhat similar and so yes, yes, so in
previous incidences that have some similarities in years past. Yeah,
big sanctions. You know, we've had people suspended for multiple years.
(08:19):
We've had we've had teams be suspended if you like,
from competition. There's a whole array of options that are open.
And when you get all of the Rugby ecosystem and
in particular the bodies that look after the compliance in
the judicial sector buying into the copupper that we're not
going to accept this. Then when people start coming up
(08:42):
for these sort of breaches, it's inevitable that the sanctions
are going to get tougher and tougher and tougher.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
People are naturally going to be very interested in what happened,
where it was. When does all that like to be
likely to be revealed? When's this investigation going to be finished?
When do we find out more?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Yeah? So the judicial process is underway, so I think
that will probably be completed within this week, probably by.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
This time next week, I would say and then we'll
know more on behalf of everyone who plays rugby at
every level. I think you and off No Company Rugby
are doing a fantastic, much needed thing. It's very sad
to say it is required and you have to put
the hammer down, but we need people like you and
your union standing up for what's right. So good on you, Corey,
(09:28):
Good on you and your members.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Just thank you, Darcy for the supporting and to all
your listeners all the phone calls and messages support, it's
greatly appreciated. And you just put a challenge out for
everybody just to stand up and support our referees up
and down the country and we'll make this a better
place for.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
More from sports talk. Listen live to news Talks it'd
be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Story of the day. They've made good on their promise
to postpone rugby in Hottifu a corpany if there were
further repeats of atrocious sideline the behavior directed at the referee.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Wow. They've done it.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And we are joined now by the chief executive officer
of the Hot Off Carpety Rugby Union. He joins us now,
Corey Kennett. Corey, good evening.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Hey, Darcy.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Wow, looks like it finally happened. For those who don't know,
so only a few weeks ago that Corey Kennet and
the crew at Hot Off Capity Rugby Football Union decided
if there was going to be any problems on the
field or sideline specifically, they would can the entire following weekend. Corey,
it's come to that, which in itself is sad. Just
(01:02):
tell us or lead us up to what happened here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah, as you mentioned, look, we do a line in
the sand. We made our statement, we said what we were
going to do in support of our hard working volunteer
match officials, referees, and we've been monitoring the situation very
carefully and sadly, last weekend we had an event that
(01:27):
met the threshold. So through consultation from our whole rugby ecosystem,
all of our affiliated associations, our clubs, our Rugby committee
and their board, they have all unanimously voted to pull
the trigger. So as a result of this deplorable behavior,
there will be no rugby this coming weekend twenty eighth
(01:51):
within Hotopheneur carpeting.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Can you describe the situation that unfolded, Corey.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I have to be cognizant, Darcy that it is under
a judicial process, but what I can say is it
was abhorrent and the abuse was from multiple We're talking
about people that are at games, spectators, players, team team management,
to the point that at the end of the game,
(02:19):
the referee, the end of the good individuals, good public individuals.
We're so concerned about the referee safety that he was
escorted to his car.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
So this is all targeted at the referee from a
number of different parties at the game itself.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, and as we talked about last time, Darcy, this
is a nationwide epidemic and what we've had since we've
made our statement is innumerable amount of calls telling us, hey,
this is happening in our space, This is happening, that
is happening. You know, people go to a game, they've
just lost a lot of people. Sorry, some people that
(02:59):
go to the games have just lost their their their standards,
their respect, their you know, just their humanity to what
these people are trying to do. These individuals, these volunteers,
the time they've given up the service, just genuine service.
And so it is never one area, It is never
(03:20):
just one team or one club. You know, probably the
biggest message to come out of this, this is a
nationwide epidemic and we just need everybody to stand up
for our referees so that they can feel supported and
feel safe in doing the amazing job they do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Can you be more precisive where this happened and what
level are we talking about? What league they's seenors at
school kids?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What is this? Once again where we're go into too
many specific details, but as if to say that this
particular incident was at college rugby, Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What's the pushback being like or what's the reaction been
like from everybody involved with Hotophenom carpety rugby? And this
is right through then, as you said, you I spoke
with a lot of different people, everybody engaged in it.
So what was the general reaction when you did as
you said, Paul the trigger?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Isn't it funny? Mate? When you when you're in confronted
with something that's horrendous and negative, you you always get
you get green shoots of positivity and you see people's
integrity come through. We have had unanimous positive support that
we need to do this where we you know, we've
got so that's representatives of junior rugby, this is little
(04:39):
kids ripper rugby, so that won't be played this weekend.
We got Premier Year, the best, the best rugby players
in our province, they won't be playing this weekend. We
got clubs that have got Old Timers Day scheduled for
this coming weekend. They support it, They've postponed their old
Timers days. You know, we got the whole ecosystem, and
just so proud of our people that have that have
(05:01):
stood up and saying this is not good enough. We're
not gonna we're not gonna past the standard. We're going
to We're going to do something. So it's going to hurt.
We all love our footy. You know, it's it's it's
everything to us. But we feel that if we did nothing,
you know what sort of message is that sending to
(05:24):
the people that commit that you know, this this sort
of crap.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Besides Corey missing out on the fact is the games himself.
How else will this hurt community? Rugby hoff a carpety Rugby,
what else is going to hit you?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
You know, just the fact that all of our all
of our clubs and our schools, you know that they
are the lightning rod, the collection point for just a
huge amount of positivity, you know. So yeah, it's missing
out of the games, but everybody has a fantastic experience
like it does up and down the country when they
get together. So missing out on that just to catch
(06:01):
up positivity. You're not taking a financial you're not taking
a financi till either or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
That's not going to hit you in your pocket or.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Look for clubs, it will every every the same with
every club up and down the country. Every every time
club's host the game, there will be a little bit
of revenue. So yep, there will there will be there
will be some financial loss in that regard. But for us,
those circumstances that are that are mitigated by the the
(06:31):
overall greater good.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
What happens now, what's the next point of action? Playingly
not going to be playing across the grades this weekend,
and you said it's going to be looked at if
this is at an ends at our level, how does
this develop from now on in?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah? Yeah, so so for us, you know, the is
we've said in our previous statement this this round of
games will be will be picked up. Our competition has
including this round of games four weeks to go into
a final of our club right college rugby and junior rugby.
More so for us going forward, you know, we don't
(07:15):
have a huge amount of weeks into the season, but
then so those will be picked up. In regards to
jed R, i'd lead them to speak about that, and
we know that they support our decision. And in regards
to maybe the other provincial unions up and down the country,
(07:36):
that's up to them how they handle it. But I
know that we've had huge amounts of messages of support
from other provincial unions and how they're trying to address
the very same mission.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's all under review, but likely sanctions the offending parties
may be never allowed back to these grounds or any
grounds involved, as far as you can go here, Corey.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Well, what I can talk about, Darcy is previous incidents
that are somewhat similar and so yes, yes, so in
previous incidences that have some similarities in years past. Yeah,
big sanctions. You know, we've had people suspended for multiple years.
(08:19):
We've had we've had teams be suspended if you like,
from competition. There's a whole array of options that are open.
And when you get all of the Rugby ecosystem and
in particular the bodies that look after the compliance in
the judicial sector buying into the copupper that we're not
going to accept this. Then when people start coming up
(08:42):
for these sort of breaches, it's inevitable that the sanctions
are going to get tougher and tougher and tougher.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
People are naturally going to be very interested in what happened,
where it was. When does all that like to be
likely to be revealed? When's this investigation going to be finished?
When do we find out more?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Yeah? So the judicial process is underway, so I think
that will probably be completed within this week, probably by.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
This time next week, I would say and then we'll
know more on behalf of everyone who plays rugby at
every level. I think you and off No Company Rugby
are doing a fantastic, much needed thing. It's very sad
to say it is required and you have to put
the hammer down, but we need people like you and
your union standing up for what's right. So good on you, Corey,
(09:28):
Good on you and your members.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Just thank you, Darcy for the supporting and to all
your listeners all the phone calls and messages support, it's
greatly appreciated. And you just put a challenge out for
everybody just to stand up and support our referees up
and down the country and we'll make this a better
place for.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
More from sports talk. Listen live to news Talks it'd
be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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