Action must be taken to restore safety to rugby matches

What should have been a proud showcase of local rugby turned into a tragedy in Kariega this weekend.

The shocking scenes that played out at the Derrick Ferreira Stadium after Saturday’s Grand Challenge Top 12 clash between Gardens and Progress was an embarrassment to the game.

A fan, 48-year-old Morne Matill, is dead and several players are nursing injuries after having been assaulted.

The club match between Gardens and Progress was abandoned because of a crowd invasion with five minutes of the game remaining.

Referee Aphiwe Mfana reported feeling unsafe and walked off the field and that is when pandemonium broke out.

The game between the arch-rivals has now been overshadowed by violence and lawlessness.

When the two teams clash, there is always tension — this is a known factor that should ensure proper security measures are put in place before each game.

But to degenerate to the chaos of Saturday is unacceptable.

EP Rugby must ensure decisive action is taken that would not only deter this from happening again, but also ensure that when the fiercely-contested teams face-off again, there is adequate security and measures for crowd control in place.

It is simply unacceptable that referees, players and spectators are left feeling unsafe.

Matches should not have to be abandoned because a bottle is hurled at an official or because fans invade the field.

Those who stormed the pitch and disrupted Saturday’s match must be identified and banned from attending future games.

The message must be unambiguous: you disrespect the game, you forfeit your right to be part of it.

We call on the SAPS to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrator who shot Matill to justice.

Rugby, especially at club level, holds communities together.

It is a game built on discipline, respect and camaraderie, but when that same sport becomes a breeding ground for thuggery and lawlessness, its value is destroyed.

The Herald