Mehrtens charged for ref blast
August 21, 2002

Veteran All Blacks five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens could be fined or suspended after being charged with serious misconduct for criticising South African referee Andre Watson following the loss to the Wallabies in Sydney.

Mehrtens said Watson should have been ashamed of himself because of the way he controlled the game, which the All Blacks lost 14-16 on August 3 to hand the Bledisloe Cup to Australia.

New Zealand Rugby Football Union chief executive Steve Tew confirmed that the veteran of 62 Tests has been informed that he has breached the International Rugby Board's code of conduct by making the comments.

He is likely to be called before a disciplinary committee to answer the charge.

"The referees don't criticise players or coaches and they do their best," Tew told AAP. "There is a process by which they are evaluated and selected and that's where their performance should be judged."

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