A SANZAAR Judicial Hearing conducted by Terry Willis (Australia) has found the Brumbies Assistant Coach, Dan McKellar, guilty of Misconduct under the SANZAAR Code of Conduct following the Brumbies v Highlanders match on 22 July 2016.
In his finding Mr Willis concluded that, by his own admission, Mr McKellar had used crude and insulting language toward the Match Referee and as such had breached the SANZAAR Code of Conduct Sections 8.3 (k) and 8.3 (l) which states: “All persons shall not use crude, insulting or abusive language towards Match Officials."
Mr Willis confirmed that Mr McKellar should be fined AUS$10,000 for the SANZAAR Code of Conduct breach, of which AUS$5,000 is to be suspended for a 12 month period.
Mr McKellar was also formally reprimanded and issued with a warning as to the likely consequences of further unacceptable behaviour and told that any further Code of Conduct breach within 12 months would result in the suspended AUS$5,000 becoming immediately payable.
Mr McKellar has unreservedly apologised for his behaviour to the Match Referee Angus Gardner and agreed that this type of behaviour has no place in the game.
The Judicial Officer directed that, save for the SANZAAR Chief Executive Officer responding to the media in terms consistent with this media release, no person involved in the proceedings will make any further comment in respect of this matter.