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GEOFF LONGLEY
Last updated 05:01
16/04/2013
The Crusaders have laid an official complaint with Sanzar following the numerous pitch invaders in their game against the Western Force
The Crusaders want answers after an official complaint to Sanzar over the "disgraceful and unacceptable" pitch invasions which occured during the Super rugby match in Perth.
Five men were taken into custody following the incidents early Sunday morning (NZ time). One forced referee Jonathan Kaplan to halt the match at a critical moment as the Crusaders were building an attack with about five minutes remaining as they sought to overhaul the Force's 16-14 lead.
Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach said player safety was the prime reason why a formal complaint was lodged.
"It was disgraceful and unacceptable in our view and needs investigating."
Riach was astounded that Crusaders back Ryan Crotty and assistant coach Dave Hewitt, a former All Blacks prop, had to deal with two of the intruders rather than ground security.
"To have four or five people on the ground and to have security staff unable to manage it is an issue," Riach said yesterday.
He said all the invaders came from a terraced standing area at one end of the ground where security was "completely inadequate and incompetent."
Riach said in his 12 years in the role he had never seen anything like the repeated infringements.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder was extremely disappointed by the farcial nature of the game's closing minutes.
"It was obviously a really key moment," Blackadder said when the game was halted.
"We got a turnover and we would have counter-attacked and it was about five-on-one. It's poor, it shouldn't happen at this level."
"The crowd needs to be more discplined. It ruined a good game of footy."
Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters also described the invasions as unacceptable and has also called for a full report from match managers and nib Stadium officials.
"It was extremely disappointing and unacceptable behaviour from a small group of idiots in what was otherwise a very good crowd," Peter told news agencies.
"We understand there was about 90 security guards and these idiots were able to invade the pitch."
Peters thought 90 security guards for a crowd of about 16,000 did not seem unreasonable.
He said he could understand the Crusaders feeling aggrieved.
"It's not something we want to see in the game."
"There has been the odd occasion when there have been pitch invasions but there were a number of perpetrators at the weekend which it a little bit worse than normal."
Riach said matchday security was an ongoing issue for every franchise. He said numbers needed to be sufficient and the staff fully trained and competent.
"In this instance it was a complete failure, that's what needs investigating."
He said it did not matter that the Crusaders "were losing by two or had been winning by 50," players and officials deserved to be protected appropriately and not subjected to such incidents.
He said Sanzar had acknowledged the Crusaders complaint and would await the findings of their report. Riach was uncertain what the penalties might be for such breaches.
- © Fairfax NZ News
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...nt-with-Sanzar
Last edited by The InnFORCEr; 16-04-13 at 11:39. Reason: Forgot the link!
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
our crowd was fine, it was your kiwi pitch invaders that ruined itThe crowd needs to be more discplined![]()
Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.
So do we get a bonus point?
Spot on Happy
A streaker painted red and black at a Crusaders game is clearly a Force fan![]()
SANZAR is investigating?
What would they find? "Kiwis invade pitch?"
Does that mean the result of the investigations would be "Kiwis banned from Perth Oval?"
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Actually looking back at it, I wonder if maybe a web-petition could be sent to the ARU concerning the ongoing situation. We've had to put up with stupid behaviour at Perth Oval or outside it, whenever we face Kiwi opposition. It's a yearly debacle, so how about an official complaint from the ARU, on behalf of RugbyWA and the home fans of the Western Force.
Sounds like I'm being tongue-in-cheek, but in all seriousness, what would be the proper channels to do this?
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Being serious for a moment. There have been more than a couple of matches made less enjoyable because of bogan behaviour. The Chiefs match last season was the worst so far, despite the clowns on the field the other night.
The ground managers need to be accountable for it because in the past the "crowd controllers/security" have not been willing/able to eject the trouble makers.
I'd hope they draw a line in the sand immediately and, in future, be proactive and turf them out before they get out of hand. Otherwise they will just be emboldened and the behaviour could worsen. If that means more highly skilled security people are needed, so be it.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Guess which country of origin (which national rugby team they support) most crowd controllers and security guards are from?
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Damn right. And what happened to no smoking in the ground? I don't mind ciggies and I am lenient towards stoners too; but that synthetic stuff they smoke makes you do some crazy shit. If we need proper security, night-club style bouncers, and more of them; then so be it. People were chuffing away on this shit behind the toilets and some of them blatantly around food stalls for fuck's sake.
For the Crusaders to have the temerity to lodge a complaint against us, knowing who the culprits were, is a deliberate "up-yours" to WA rugby as a whole:
"We know we did it, we're not apologising; but fuck you, we'll blame you and make you say sorry to us HA HA HAAAA! Then we can protest our innocence and claim the moral high ground so we can sook! We love doing that!"
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Check out some of the comments, the above smoke may have drifted all the way across the ditch they are that far out of it
22 Comments
simondibimon2 hours ago
Anyone that actually thinks this idiot was a crusaders fan is an idiot themselves. He has clearly painted himself that way so that people think his pitch invasion has nothing to do with disrupting the game to halt the crusaders momentum...
He knew that running out there in a force jersey would be a bit obvious and wouldn't want to disgrace his home team but doing that so did it in the red and black paint instead.
If he really was a crusaders fan he wouldn't have done it.
The crusaders may well have still lost without this interupton but i reallydon't think he was a canterbury fan...
mooty88perth34 minutes ago
He was 110% a Crusaders fan
pethe3 hours ago
imagine had it been at the warriors game,or the chiefs, nzs two most moaning teams. just see it now ,the ref an the invad ers cost us the game.
mrguy3 hours ago
robbie deans
Sqwerty4 hours ago
wow i would have been more worried about the ref not calling number 18 a mile offside at the breakdown and entering from the side and winning the ball at the end there.
simondibimon3 hours ago
there wasn't a ruck formed so it was open play and sam whitelock had all rights to the ball...
Dr Zoidberg5 hours ago
Oh dear. C'mon Crusaders, suck it up. You lost. And the streaker was one of yours.
Frankmm5 hours ago
Sounds like sour grapes for the loss
sabots4 hours ago
It does, unlike Cantabs to moan about something....
And as it has been pointed out the clown ran on the field in Crusaders colours.
manowar5 hours ago
Nothing wrong with streakers. But there are clear ethical principles for streaking, one has to:
- Be completely stark naked, not in their boxers like these cowards
- Come on to the pitch during a long break in play and not disrupt the game itself
- Totally amateur i.e. not promoting themselves or some brand.
- Not touch the players unless the feelings are mutual ;-)
If they respect these simple rules, tell them they're naughty (that's part of the fun) and let them go. If they don't, fine them ban them etc. They'll come back humbled and naked next time!!
Jeest5 hours ago
Looks like the bloke was a Crusaders fan.
Maybe the Force should have asked for a penalty.
hankforce6 hours ago
Streakers at the cricket = Hilarious
Streakers at the footy = Idiots
One of life's shameless double standards.
Garry.Bishop3 hours ago
See manowar guide to streaking above. Cricket is pretty much defined as "long breaks in play" so it is actually really hard for a streaker to cause any significant disruption.
Kent6 hours ago
Stadiums should be repsonsible for policing this, not Sanzar. Stadiums make their money from selling alcohol at the games.
BTfromWB6 hours ago
If this type of thing isn't punished properly then what's to stop idiots doing this, on purpose in the future, in order to stop the game and hand their team an advantage (as was clearly the case here).
The only fair result would seem to be penalising the Force and giving the Crusaders the win.
There will always be pitch invaders, and usually they can be dealt with without any interruption to the game, but when the ref needs to stop the game because of poor security, then the away team should automatically be awarded a penalty at the resumption of play.
Kent6 hours ago
LOL Wouldn't this incent visiting fans to invade the pitch?
Sailor5 hours ago
Unfortunately this would encourage away-team supporters to invade the pitch. Perhaps heavily fining the home-team franchise would encourage them to supply more effective security. As Blackadder said, a good match was ruined by spectator misbehaviour.
Jeest5 hours ago
The bloke was a Crusaders fan - whats your advice on how to deal with him.
Jeest5 hours ago
Red and Black painted invader = Crusaders fan. Perhaps your post needs some work.
Azonto5 hours ago
Jeest the guy who stopped the game only had Green Boxers so how do you know who he supported? perhaps your post needs some work :p
Rodger4 hours ago
I totally agree and it is obvious it was a "win at all costs" Aussie in a Crusaders jersey!
I’m surprised the last pass by the Force wasn’t underarm just to make a point.
BTfromWB4 hours ago
I take everyone's point about away fans, however security plans are there to stop all pitch invaders (be they home or away fans). The home team security is responsible for the safety of the players and for ensuring that the match is not interrupted.
If any fan (home or away) gets onto the field and stops play, then it is still the fault of the home teams security set up and as such the home team should still get punished.
The onus needs to be put on the home team as they are the only ones that can influence the security at their stadium. Thus any penalty applied, needs to be applied to the home team.
If a fan (either home or away) stopped a match and the resulting penalty cost the home team the game, then you can be assured that their security will be beefed up to the appropriate level for their next home match.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
i have noticed in the stadium a lack of events people checking tickets. i know people who brought standing tickets to the rebels game and then just walked up the new stand and sat in the Gold ticket seats. no one checked their tickets once they got in the ground.
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
Do you have a link to the article TiF?