Namibian coach in hot water

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is considering taking steps against the Namibian Rugby World Cup coach, Dave Waterston, for remarks described as 'inappropriate'.

Chris Rea, the IRB's Media Manager, has said that the IRB will be having discussions with Fraser Neill, the Tournament Director for the Rugby World Cup about possible action against Waterston.

Waterston's comments follow his side's 64-7 defeat at the hands of Ireland in Sydney on Sunday evening. After the match Waterston asked the citing commission to investigate stamping by lock Paul O'Connell, which the citing commissioner declined to do, and then hit out at the referee, Andrew Cole of Australia.

Waterston said that in order to be considered for the bigger matches to come in the knockout rounds referees needed to "lick the backsides of the bigger nations".

Rea said: "We are now considering what action we will be taking. Clearly that statement was unacceptable and highly inappropriate.

"We will be contacting Namibia and I will be speaking to Fraser Neill about where we proceed from here."

Waterston's troubles started before the World Cup.

Some players refused to be part of his team, his assistant coach Paul Kaplan walked out and a press pole suggested overwhelming public opinion that he should step down.

Waterston played a role as an analyst in the winning Springboks team in 1995 which has elevated him to the status of assistant coach, which he was not.

In 1999 he coached Tonga and claimed refereeing inconsistency when his player Ngalu Taufi'ou was sent off for punching, claiming that Phil Vickery had done in like manner and not been sent off.

The referee on that occasion was Wayne Erickson of Australia.