The Dr EG Jansen High School first team rugby coach who shouldered the referee after a match and swore at him has apologised, Beeld reported on Wednesday.

Schalk Snyman, the coach in question, said on Tuesday he was "very sad" about the incident with referee Mlungiseleli Mdashe, one of South Africa's top referees, after the match at Hoërskool Kempton Park in which Kempton Park beat Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen.

Snyman was quoted saying: "Everybody can see on the video what happened, and the context makes no difference, an offence stays an offence."

His future would be decided at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.

According to Jurie Coetzee, head of the Valke Rugby Union, and Leon de Beer, headmaster of Dr EG Jansen High School in Boksburg, Snyman had been provisionally banned from any involvement with the Valke and the school, pending the hearing's outcome.

Mdashe said he was considering "a very serious charge of assault, intimidation and undermining my authority". He said he might proceed with a civil case, depending on the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.

Mdashe said: "In the end, I want rugby to win. I hope the right decision will be taken."

Snyman attempted to contact Mdashe on Monday and Tuesday to apologise, but Mdashe, acting on the advice of his lawyers, refused to speak to him.

Sapa