PremiumOpinionOpinion byAlice SoperContributing Sports Writer·nzme·8 Jul, 2026 06:20 PM4 mins to readAlice Soper is a sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday. A former provincial rugby player and current club coach, she has a particular interest in telling stories of the emerging world of women's sports.The Wellington Rugby Referees Association's decision not to appoint any of its referees this weekend means all community rugby matches are off, amid increasing abuse of match officials. Photo / NZMEThis weekend, the All Blacks head to Wellington hoping to break their six-year curse. They arrive in the capital just as the community is scrubbing hard at another stain on the game’s reputation.
The Wellington Rugby Referees Association has blown the whistle on abuse, opting not to appoint any of
