Matt Cairns, head coach of Caldy RFC, appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on 17 April, chaired by Daniel White with Becky Essex, Kylie Hutchison.
He was charged under RFU Rule 5.12 for conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and the union for verbal abuse/disrespect for the authority of the match officials before, during and after the game. This took place during the game against Doncaster Knights on 13.04.2024.
Cairns admitted the charge but denied some of the particulars within the match officials’ evidence. He was given a12-week suspension for the next meaningful matches (reduced to eight as detailed below) applicable in the following ways:
- Mr Cairns is prohibited from attending any rugby club where any of Caldy RFC’s senior teams are playing; including all private and public areas, whether or not rugby activities are being conducted within those areas, and;
- For the next 12 meaningful matches, Mr Cairns is prohibited from performing any match day rugby activity linked to any senior men’s or women’s rugby team, including, but not limited to:
- a. Coaching of any kind (including remotely);
- b. Travelling with the squad; and
- c. Playing.
- If, on or before Monday 9th September 2024, Mr Cairns sends to the RFU Head of Discipline, satisfactory evidence demonstrating that he has refereed at least three full matches of age grade rugby (players aged between under 16s down to under 12s and individual matches of at least 30 minutes duration), and that he has completed at least two hours of additional referee training provided by either the RFU or his local Referee’s Society, then the final four weeks will be suspended until the conclusion of all disciplinary matters in the 2024-25 season.
