CSU colts coach Rob Danelon has launched a stinging verbal missile at  Central West Rugby Union officials after his side was eliminated from the under 20s competition by Orange City on Sunday.

CSU lost a dour match 18-12 in the elimination final in Dubbo and according to the coach, his side were their own worst enemy as they continually coughed up the ball in the two tries apiece affair.

Only a pair of penalty goals separated the two teams at the end of the contest.

However, in addition to citing his own players’ inability to control the ball, Danelon said that there were some serious issues that needed sorting for his club to become a Central West Rugby Union force once more.

Many of those issues involve officiating.

“We were penalised nine times in the first 20 minutes of the game and finished the first half with a 12-1 penalty count against us, discipline was obviously a problem,” he said.

“But there were penalties plucked from absolutely nowhere and we had no idea what they were for. 

“At one stage when we’d been peppering their line at 15-12 down, City had a scrum feed five metres out from their own line and it was decided at that point that the scrums would become uncontested. That automatically gave them an out to get the ball down field.

“We have had issues all season, three times we have had a referee either not allocated or just not turn up, and we’ve ended up with one of our own club’s players doing the job.

“That’s unfair on the opposition, it’s unfair on us and certainly the player who has to do it because they aren’t up to standard.”

Danelon’s spiel didn’t end there.

“Firstly, I think that the CWRU need to do more to help the qualified referees, sooner or later because the refs aren’t getting the help they need, it is going to cost someone a grand final,” he said.

“I have the utmost respect for them, and it is the hardest job in the world, but they need training and more assistance.

“More than anything, we don’t feel like we have ever gotten the rub of the green. It isn’t just the colts, it has been blatantly obvious in first grade.

“I think there is a perception that the uni club is a second class citizen and aren’t taken seriously enough, and the way they are officiated is starting to affect the mentality of the players.

“It feels like our club is taken for granted, maybe because all the players are so young. But they study hard and then put a lot of effort into their footy on the weekends and they aren’t being treated the way they deserve.”

For all his issues with the refereeing, something which CSU first grade coach James McLaren also raised concerns about during the home and away season, Danelon still had plenty of praise for City. In winning on Sunday, the Lions keep their campaign alive for at least a week.

“I’ve got to congratulate them, they stuck to their game plan and scrambled very well in defence and scored two good tries from counter-attacks, which was something we expected,” he said.

“We shot ourselves in the foot and continually dropped the ball, so we can’t lay the blame elsewhere.”

ORANGE CITY 18 defeated CSU 12