Union bans Grey Valley player for 24 games

The West Coast Rugby Union judiciary has imposed a
24 game ban on Grey Valley player Matt Sweeney, effectively ruling him out of the 2010 Heartland Championship and next season’s club competition.
Sweeney, who appeared before the judiciary on a similar charge last year, was this time found guilty of abusing and threatening the referee at the conclusion of Marist’s upset 9-6 victory over Grey Valley, in the Taylorville-Wallsend Cup grand final.
He reportedly showed no remorse and offered no apology to the referee at the recent hearing,
which was bound by NZRFU guidelines.
West Coast Rugby Union chief executive Mike Connors said
24 weeks was the minimum sentence the panel could impose, but he agreed with it.
“We support the referees to the hilt and will not tolerate their abuse from players or spectators.”
Sweeney had been selected in the extended West Coast Heartland Championship squad so the ban is for nine 2010 representative games and 15 club games next year.
He has a week to appeal the decision which will also flow across to the rival code.
West Coast Rugby League chairman Peter Kerridge said the league would honour the mutual agreement it had with the rugby union and ban Sweeney from its fields until his rugby suspension was over.