Brumbies assistant guilty of misconduct

Tue, Aug 2, 2016, 6:05 AM
Matt Lewis
by Matt Lewis
Brumbies assistant Dan McKellar has been fined $10,000 by SANZAAR. Photo: ARU Media/Stu Walmsley
Brumbies assistant Dan McKellar has been fined $10,000 by SANZAAR. Photo: ARU Media/Stu Walmsley

Brumbies assistant coach Dan McKellar has been found guilty of misconduct towards referee Angus Gardner following their quarter-final loss to the Highlanders.

McKellar has been fined $10,000, with $5,000 of that suspended for the next 12 months, for using "crude and insulting language toward the Match Referee".

It is believed McKellar had a confrontation with Gardner after the match, with a number of witnesses to the incident.


The Brumbies lost to the Highlanders by six points after a contentious try decision went against the Canberra side in the 74th minute, where Gardner disallowed Lausi Taliauli potential try.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was left fuming after the loss, critising the call against Taliauli in the post-match presser.

"We should be in the semi-finals right now," he said at the time.


"I give credit where it's due and I think the Highlanders played really good football but I thought we played better tonight and I think we deserved that win tonight.

"It's hard for me not to comment on the refereeing but I can't see how Lausii didn't score that try.

"I don't know where the benefit of the doubt goes but I can't see any other answer to what happened there.

"It was clearly a try for everyone who saw it."

McKellar has since apologised to Gardner.

The Lions take on the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby final on Saturday, with Gardner appointed as an assistant referee.  


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