The Eastern Cape derby match between Dale College and Queens College, which took place last Saturday, ended with mayhem and a pitch invasion amidst huge confusion.

According to the Herald, it is claimed that alcohol consumption by parents is partly to blame, with a late try sparking some ugly scenes.

Here’s how they describe the ending:

A video on the Dale College Facebook page, broadcast live during the match, showed the dying moments of the game with Queens leading 24-19. The game went into overtime, leading to a controversial try by Dale, where the ball could have been lost forward in a tackle. Nonetheless the scoreboard ticked over and levelled the match. The conversion was never kicked.

Queens pupils, mistaking the try being awarded for the final whistle, rushed onto the pitch, joined soon after by Dale pupils. Chaos ensued as staff from both schools and parents also charged onto the field.

Can someone inform these peeps that a try is usually followed by a conversion attempt?

Skip ahead to around the 35 minute 45 second mark (35:45) below, and you’ll see the knock-on / try debacle play out, followed by the crowd charging onto the pitch.

Shambles.

Both headmasters have expressed regret, with Dale headmaster Mike Eddy confirming alcohol might have played a role:

[He] confirmed alcohol was served at the event, but not during the match in question.

“Alcohol consumption could quite possibly have added to the occupation of the pitch. No alcohol was served during the first team match.”

Eddy considered the match to be a victory for Dale as the rules stipulate that in the event of a draw, followed by a pitch invasion, the game should be awarded to the team whose fans did not interrupt play.

Queens acting headmaster Mike Boy had a different take, saying the ref had a stinker and the parents were in the midst of a piss-up:

“Yes, our boys did invade the pitch first, but they did so out of jubilation for what they thought was the final whistle and a good result for their team.

They never intended to disrupt a losing game, or start the incident that ended in a pushing and shoving match between parents and officials,” Boy said.

His main concern was the “freedom to consume alcohol” next to the pitch. “Besides some concerns with the referee’s decision, we are more concerned about the amount of alcohol that was freely available around the field. “Not only Dale parents, but Queens parents and other spectators were seen with drinks in hand right next to the field.

There is no doubt that this contributed to the altercations on the field.”

Anyone who has ever played schoolboy rugby knows there will always be those fathers who didn’t quite achieve their sporting ambitions, and they consider the next best thing to be shouting at their child (and others) from the sideline.

Throw booze into the mix, top off with a last-minute controversial try, and you have a recipe for disaster.

[source:herald]