Plymouth get replay after ref mix-up

Plymouth College have successfully appealed against their first defeat in four years and been granted a replay of their Daily Mail Under 15 Cup fifth-round tie away to Torquay Boys Grammar School.

Torquay won 22-12 but the celebrations following their first victory over fierce rivals were cut short by news that they had broken the rules by appointing referee John Munford without asking the Devon Referees' Society. Plymouth's director of rugby, Adrian Lewis, the players and parents on the touchline were also not happy with the referee's performance.

However, Munford refereed the Daily Mail Under 18 Cup tie between the schools this season, which Plymouth won, and the last big meeting between the Under 15 sides in a county cup final, which Plymouth also won, without complaint. Peter Webb, the Society's appointments secretary, said: 'It's unfortunate. John is one our most experienced and fittest referees and was well qualified to take this game. If Torquay had actually asked us for a referee on that day it would probably have been John.'The ESRFU ordered the replay.

To stoke up the rivalry, the schools meet in county cup finals at Under 13, Under 14 and Under 15 level next week.

The Daily Mail replay will serve as a doubleheader with a last 16 game at Millfield at stake, along with the Devon championship.