Manenberg Rangers Player Assaults Referee During Western Cape Club Rugby Match
- A serious incident occurred during a Western Cape club rugby match involving a Manenberg Rangers player and the match official
- The opposing team’s players responded swiftly to an escalating situation on the field, helping to protect the official and restore order
- The incident drew widespread reaction from the rugby community, with growing pressure on authorities to take strong disciplinary action against those involved
A Manenberg Rangers player assaulted referee Lionel Gerwel after he was shown a red card during a weekend club match in the Western Cape, triggering widespread outrage and calls for strong disciplinary action.
Eyewitnesses say Yaseen Elliot slapped Gerwel in full view of players and spectators after being dismissed from the game. The incident has since gone viral and renewed concerns about the safety of match officials in local rugby.
Source: Getty Images
Players from the opposing team, Albions RFC, immediately intervened to de-escalate the situation and shield the referee from further harm. Gerwel later expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Albions players for their swift and respectful response.
The Western Province Rugby Union has not yet released a formal statement, but pressure is mounting for them to act. Rugby stakeholders and fans have taken to social media, demanding lifetime bans for Elliot and possible sanctions against the Manenberg Rangers club.
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Rugby fans react
@NickGLeonard:
"And then people want to laugh when you say you ‘fear for your life’. I’ve personally been at ‘these’ clubs as a referee and coach. And nothing gets done!"
@ShariffKhan:
"This is disgusting! Some clubs have built a reputation for this barbaric behaviour. WP Rugby has done little to stamp it out. They give ‘lifetime bans’ but let those individuals still serve at their clubs."
@WilhelmMarais:
"Go back to your racist white rugby union. Remember, your white rugby union practised apartheid in its strongest form. Now that the field is level, you still peddle the same stupid rhetoric 30 years later. Go play or watch rugby in Orania."
@FranklinAdams:
"Make an example. Ban the player and the team. A character like that reflects a team’s overall mentality."
@QaqambileSkhwebuGodwana:
"Ban the team. They failed to protect the integrity of the sport."
Source: Getty Images
The assault has opened an uncomfortable conversation about violence, accountability and the role of provincial unions in maintaining discipline within community-level sport. Some fans say this is not an isolated event but part of a worrying trend.
As the debate intensifies, rugby insiders warn that without firmer penalties and consistent enforcement, the sport risks losing vital match officials through fear and frustration, threatening the future of club rugby in the province.
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Jean de Villiers, Lukhanyo Am, Mark Andrews, and Andre Venter have also represented WP at various levels.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
