For the second time in four years Marton has won the Wanganui premier consolation club rugby title on technicalities.
Marton won the final in 2011 because Border fielded an unregistered player and Ratana and Utiku OB have both been disqualified from tomorrow’s final against Marton because of the same offence.
Marton qualified for the final by beating Kaierau 24-19 last Saturday while Ratana and Urtiku OB drew 32-all at Ratana.
Confusion reigned at Ratana when the referee did not play extra time, as required in the WRFU rules, and he awarded the game to Ratana who had finished ahead of Utiku after two qualifying rounds.
The WRFU semi-final rules require extra time to be played to find a winner and those rules also go down to the team scoring the most tries in the match if the score is still level. There is also a final provision for a toss of the coin.
Utiku scored five tries to Ratana’s four last weekend and the WRFU Operations Committee declared Utiku the winners.
Ratana protested that Utiku had played several players from the Feilding club, the offence was admitted, and Ratana was awarded the game.
Utiku counter protested that Ratana had also played a Manawatu club player, from Bulls, and backed it up with video evidence.
The Operation Committee, under WRFU rules, on Thursday afternoon disqualified both teams and awarded the consolation title to Marton.
Wanganui rugby officials will be holding meetings with both Ratana and Utiku OB because the clubs flouted the rules by playing players from outside unions in a WRFU fixture.
Because there is no premier consolation final the senior consolation final, between Counties and Marton, will now be played at Spriggens Park at 11.30am and not on the Racecourse at 1pm.
The Hunterville v Ruapehu senior championships final is at 1pm and the Ruapehu v Pirates premier championships final at 2.35.
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