Poorte and Teine players reconcile after skirmish during game
Two players from Roodepoort and Randfontein Rugby Clubs have set aside their differences and apologised after receiving red cards during their clash last week.
An incident occurred early in the recent match between Poorte and Teine when Manny Rodrigues and Gerhard ‘Skolla’ Scholtz became involved in a small bust-up on the field.
It is believed a few punches were traded between the players, and the referee proceeded to hand them a red card each.
Looking back, both Manny and Skolla regret their actions in the game.
“Leading up to the game, we placed so much focus on discipline, constantly reiterating the importance of keeping our cool,” said Poorte captain and flank, Skolla.
“Then for me to get a red card in the first 10 minutes was pretty hard. I had really been looking forward to the game.”
Manny, Teine’s flank, shared the sentiment, and regrets his actions, saying, “A lot of our moves had been structured with me as a key component. When I got the card, the team had to change the way they played entirely. This really took away from what we had planned in the build-up, and made it difficult for the guys to play the way they were meant to.”
The Golden Lions Rugby Union’s (GLRU) sanction for trading punches is traditionally a two-week suspension. However, since neither player has had a previous run-in with the laws of the game, GLRU have allowed them to continue playing, on the condition that they aren’t involved in any other incidents. If they are involved in an incident that sees them earn a red card before the end of May, then they will receive their two-week suspension.
Roodepoort director of coaching, Louw Parsons, who moved to Poorte from Randfontein this year, emphasised that neither player is normally involved in incidents such as this.
“They’re both giants in their teams, and to see the teams lose them in the game, really took away from the spectacle on the day,” Louw said. “They share a strong passion for the game and their teams, and in the heat of the moment things are bound to happen, but neither of them is traditionally a rough player.”
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