Pieter van Zyl was yesterday convicted of assaulting David McHugh, the Irish referee he put out of the Tri-Nations match between South Africa and New Zealand at King's Park on August 10.

The beefy Potchefstroom businessman's tackle when he invaded the pitch looked innocuous, but McHugh's shoulder was dislocated as stunned players tried frantically to separate the pair.

That was Van Zyl's defence against the original charge of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm. It was conducted not in open court but behind closed doors.

By the time Van Zyl appeared in front of the magistrate the charge was common assault. He pleaded guilty and was so found. Had the justice system's computers been up to scratch, and thus been able to establish whether Van Zyl had a criminal record, he would have been sentenced yesterday. Instead, all present will have to return on October 28.

Which, Van Zyl's beaming face hinted afterwards, would be no hardship for someone who seemed eager to grab more than his 15 minutes of fame.

"We're a little bit downhearted that it didn't end today, but I'll travel down 20 times if necessary to see justice done," Van Zyl, looking anything but downhearted, told the media, and confusing those who thought justice had already been done. "The public support I have received was overwhelming. I didn't expect it and it was heartening."

At which point Van Zyl's lawyer, Bertie Grobbelaar, glared at his client and drew a finger across his throat.