GRUFC: victimised for playing a hard game

THE Guernsey Rugby Club believes it is being viewed as public enemy number one in Hampshire League One. After criticism from Trojans coach Pete Surtees aimed at both the crowd and the Guernsey players following his side's 41-3 defeat in front of the Garenne stand, the Sarnians were extensively penalised by the referee in their latest win at Fawley.

Captain Carl Johnson senses that his team are becoming victims of their own success.

'We are, there is no doubt about it,' he said.

'It is silly so early in the season because it has only been four games and we may still come nowhere if we get a series of injuries, but it seems the referees are already being sympathetic towards our opposition.

'It is a bit of a joke really because in the last two years that I have been playing for Guernsey, it has been us that have been intimidated by other sides and now that we do our scrummaging and rucking techniques properly they don't like it.'

Johnson admitted, though, the match against Fawley was the first time this season that he had been disappointed with a referee's performance.

'The referees previously I have been pretty happy with but on Saturday we got penalised 25 times in the first half for rucking their players who were lying in front of the ball,' he said.

'I spoke to the referee at half-time and said that we had to ruck them to get to the ball or they had to be penalised for lying there but he said they could get hurt. In the second half we just basically decided to forget about rucking at all.

'I do not want to complain about the referees because they do it voluntarily and we are in the Hampshire League, it is not as if we are professionals.

'To be honest, I do not mind if they are poor, but as long as they are consistent for both teams.'

In contrast, Fawley captain Ian Cromar described the referee as 'superb and allowed the game to flow'.

But perhaps the more worrying aspect to emerge in the last fortnight were Surtees' remarks in the Southern Daily Echo after Trojans trip to Guernsey.

He was furious with what he felt were disrespectful reactions from the crowd as four of his players were forced from the field with injuries.

'We were taking a lot of abuse,' said Surtees.

'I appreciate that they were opening their new stand, but that is not what rugby is about. Idiots shouting "that's four down" and booing them for being injured - that is not on.'

He went on to blame the Guernsey players for the injuries.

'It could have been such a good game because Guernsey are a good side. But why they needed to revert to these kind of tactics, I don't know. It was a very nasty game.'

The Guernsey skipper disputed Surtees' comments.

'To be honest, I could not hear what was being said and there was an element of excitement about the whole event with it being the first game there.

'But it all stemmed from the fracas in the first half in front of the stand when their subs and coaches came on and got involved. That is where it all started - they should not have been coming onto the pitch.

'And if it had been a nasty game, you would have thought there would have been several people in the sin-bin, but there weren't,' Johnson said.