The Bay of Plenty rugby captain Colin Bourke has apologised for comments he made criticising the referee officials, in the wake of his side's two point loss to Tasman at the weekend.
Bourke claimed the refereeing wasn't up to standard and that Tasman constantly and deliberately cheated at the breakdown.
In a statement from the Bay of Plenty rugby union Bourke says he regrets making the comments and retracts them, saying his language was inappropriate, as was his criticism of the recferee.
The chief executive of the Bay of Plenty rugby union Jeremy Curragh says if Bourke had a problem with the standard of refereeing he should have made a complaint through the proper channels.
