‘Teams want best refs’
10 Mar 2010
Jonathan Kaplan says the coaches and players have opposed the system of selecting neutral referees.
A nerve has been struck with regards to the selection of referees. After the Waratahs’ win over the Sharks last Saturday, there was an outcry of Australian match official Paul Marks.
Firstly, Marks did not award the Sharks – the away team – a penalty try when fullback Kurtley Beale deliberately knocked-on a pass that would’ve given Ryan Kankowski a clear run for the winning score. The Sharks then kicked for the corner but Marks penalised them for obstruction at the resulting lineout.
Sharks head coach John Plumtree has asked Sanzar to review Marks’ performance while the Australian media has quoted skipper John Smit saying his team ‘didn’t get the rub of the green from the referee’.
Kaplan, however, believes this situation has been blown out of context.
‘I think this whole situation has been taken in the wrong way by the Australian media. I don’t believe Smit and Plumtree had a problem with the fact that Marks was an Australian referee. I think their criticism was made in general circumstances,’ Kaplan told keo.co.za.
‘The thing is that the coaches and players have asked for referees to be selected on merit and not on a neutral basis. They want the best referees for the Super Rugby games and we gave them this.’
Kaplan added that referees are also due bad performances.
‘If a neutral referee had to make those decisions in the Sharks’ game, there would be no criticism of not having neutral referees. Then the argument would have been that the ref made poor decisions,’ he said.
‘But just like players and coaches have poor games on the field, the referees also make bad calls sometimes.’
After four weeks of the new law interpretations, Kaplan said he is in favour of them.
‘With these various tweaks in the application of the law, attacking rugby has flourished. In the past, the defending teams were favoured too much. But things have balanced out. Instead of the constant kick-chase method being used, teams are encouraged to keep the ball in hand.’
Kaplan did, however, add that it will take more time for these law interpretations to be established.
‘This system is a product still in process. It’s still too short to say that everything is perfect now, it will take more time for players, coaches and referees to get this is into their system. Every week, referees are communicating with teams after matches to discuss various decisions and situations, so everything will get better.’
With the World Cup coming up, a question of which laws will be implemented comes to mind. But Kaplan believes this will be sorted out soon.
‘Remember, the laws haven’t changed. It’s just the matter of interpretation,’ he said. ‘I still speak the same rugby language whether I’m reffing a Six Nations match or Super 14 game.
‘Obviously some things will need to be refined. I believe scrums and the engagement will be some of the areas reviewed. There are far too many penalties being awarded at the scrum in the Super 14.’
By Gareth Duncan
258 Comments
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10 Mar 2010, 11:46 am
My wife wants to know why the ref shaves his legs…does it make him go faster..?
10 Mar 2010, 11:46 am
@Atreides:
Good grief! Another sweeping generalisaton!
I find lotsa things funny.
I draw the line at men ******** sheep and corpses.
Is that wrong?
Should I be laughing?
10 Mar 2010, 11:47 am
@Storm outta hell: Shave or shear? Its an Ozzie she is talking about isn’t it?
10 Mar 2010, 11:49 am
Dawn,
Okay then, we Kiwi’s apoligise for the Necrophilia stuff.
Okay.
But we still believe Cape Town and Pretoria are the ***** and Gomorrah of the Rugby world.
10 Mar 2010, 11:50 am
@Bill Reyts: No,the ref in the Stormer/Highlander game…she also pointed out that he had cellulite…I guess that’s what wives do..?
10 Mar 2010, 11:50 am
yanks have polish jokes
poms have irish jokes
saffas have van der merwe jokes
what jokes do kiwis and ozzies have to laugh at themselves?
10 Mar 2010, 11:52 am
@Bill Reyts: as do I Bill, SA has always fascinated me… and its great that you guys are so strong in the rugby at the moment, it helps us lift our game too…
If I didnt I wouldnt continue to blog here…
10 Mar 2010, 11:53 am
@charo: The Ozzies have their Rugby team!
10 Mar 2010, 11:54 am
@poppa69: It is just good banter mate – that is all! No harm intended.
10 Mar 2010, 11:54 am
@Storm outta hell:
and that’s an example of when the association needs to be seen to be taking action… it’s no good just saying we’re using the best refs if the pubilc has no means of determining the who the best refs are…
SANZAR (and the IRB) should have a rating system similar to the team rating system so that consistently good reffing is recognised and rewarded by moving up the ratings and bad reffing sees a ref move down the ratings…
then at least everyone knows where they stand…
at the moment it is all left to (very emotional and subjective) opinion… and that will never allow fair and objective comment…
10 Mar 2010, 11:55 am
I just had a post “moderated”.
I used the term S-od-om and Gomorrah.
Biblical quotes are now barred!
I am sure the good folk in Cape Town and Pretoria would not have taken overdue offence at my “moderated post”.
10 Mar 2010, 11:57 am
@cane: Prediction with your team this weekend?
10 Mar 2010, 11:58 am
I got them by 7!
10 Mar 2010, 11:59 am
@ufo: Yeah…but you may then get a situation where the top teams/matches are reffed by the top refs(which is what you want) and the more lowly teams will all be complaining that they were done in by a ***** ref..!
10 Mar 2010, 12:00 pm
For anyone who might want to know I heard the trick is to put the Sheeps back legs in your wellys(gum boots) that way they can’t get away
10 Mar 2010, 12:00 pm
@Storm outta hell: Give an example
10 Mar 2010, 12:01 pm
@Storm outta hell: It’s for when the aussies passed him around at the after-party,…they prefer smooth legs…
10 Mar 2010, 12:02 pm
@SAinNZ: And spray-paint crosses on the ones that kick…..
10 Mar 2010, 12:03 pm
The IRB can change the laws all they like to make it more enjoyable, but when referees cannot be held accountable (“we protect our own”), it’s worth buggerall.
Rugby has mostly been innocent of match fixing – as opposed to Cricket, where coaches get eliminated when all does not go to plan (Woolmer, natural causes my ***!). No rugby team would throw a game, at least none that I know of. But a referee can VERY easily affect the outcome of a game, and until the IRB stops protecting the referees from scrutiny/criticism, this won’t change.
On de udder hand, refs are gatvol for the fans that continually bad-mouth them for certain calls. The appeal system will allow them to avoid this to a certain extent… nothing wrong with a quick on-field apology to the captain if the appeal is succesful.
Let’s make the “bad ref” excuse obsolete ASAP.
10 Mar 2010, 12:07 pm
@Gertjie die Brandweer Ertjie: Hear hear…check the ref’s bank accounts when they’ve had an absolute shocker…and cellphone no’s for bookie connections..
10 Mar 2010, 12:07 pm
@Bill Reyts:
We will lose.
We will lose all our games in the Republic of Necrophiliacs / Eye Gougers.
We have a very tough away schedule this year. I just hope that we can fluke the odd game here and there, and win all our home games.
We are a long shot for the semi’s.
Best chances among the NZ Teams, Chiefies and Cruix.
Storm Boys and Bullies looking good for SA.
Brumbies will be thereabouts.
10 Mar 2010, 12:07 pm
Storm, you are going to cause my wife to prevent me from watching rugby with that comment…refs shaving their legs and winking at hairy tight forwards; what is the game coming to?
10 Mar 2010, 12:09 pm
@GI POT:
10 Mar 2010, 12:10 pm
@cane: You dead meat mate! pardon the pun
Chief or Saders this weekend?
10 Mar 2010, 12:12 pm
@cane: @Bill Reyts: some very hard games to tip this weekend, Canes/Stormers, Brumbies/Sharks, Saders/Chiefs these 3 could go either way..
10 Mar 2010, 12:12 pm
@Gertjie – what do you measure a ref’s performance against if so much is left to interpretation? At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, you have to ref the game as the laws are written and not try and make something of the game that it was not intended to be. This is rugby and we have to play the game according to the laws. The ref’s interpretations will always be there, but at the moment they are not taken to task for their wrong application of the written law
10 Mar 2010, 12:12 pm
@cane: You got a much better looking team this week…gonna be a bruising battle..1
10 Mar 2010, 12:12 pm
@Storm outta hell: @ 162
incentive then for both to improve their performances…
10 Mar 2010, 12:13 pm
@poppa69: When in doubt go home team. Works sometimes!
10 Mar 2010, 12:14 pm
@Storm outta hell: Now you wife will ban you mate. ‘Better looking team’ What is coming of this world!!!
10 Mar 2010, 12:18 pm
Lotsa male shaved legs around town this week.
All with star trek helmets on their heads, dressed in lycra, riding bikes.
So. All you hunksa testosterone.
Who uses the wife’s moisturiser?
Confess.
10 Mar 2010, 12:19 pm
@Bill Reyts:
Women watch rugby to ogle men.
No other reason.
10 Mar 2010, 12:20 pm
@GI POT:
Don’t get me started on TMO’s.
10 Mar 2010, 12:20 pm
@Bill Reyts: Must be Conrad Smith
10 Mar 2010, 12:21 pm
@SAinNZ: That Wellington boots one is the funniest one I have read this Millenium!!!
10 Mar 2010, 12:21 pm
@Dawn: I use Dove soap – does that count?
10 Mar 2010, 12:21 pm
Fellows, please stop with the dead jokes. Now I will not mention any names but some ladies take offense when accused called dead in bed.
10 Mar 2010, 12:22 pm
@Bill Reyts: I will be tipping Crusaders, think Carter will direct his team much better then the Duck…
Think brumbies will be a lot better then last week but also think Sharks are knocking on the door for a win, they had the intensity last week, got to click for them soon.. toss of the coin..
Stormers/ Canes… again, toss of the coin, may just go with your advice and take the home team
10 Mar 2010, 12:22 pm
@Dawn: I have my own.
10 Mar 2010, 12:22 pm
@Dawn: Oh!
10 Mar 2010, 12:23 pm
@Storm outta hell:
10 Mar 2010, 12:24 pm
@Dawn: Geez, they still can’t get it right with all the replays at their disposal. They are complicating the process of decision making so much that they can’t see the wood for the trees anymore…
10 Mar 2010, 12:25 pm
@RedLion: My wife fits that bill mate! Does that make me a whats that long name Cane uses?
Very good mate – sharp as the Kiwi shears that comment mate! Enjoyed it too.
10 Mar 2010, 12:26 pm
@WOLFMAN21:
Good man!
10 Mar 2010, 12:30 pm
@poppa69: Saders – too close to call this one.
10 Mar 2010, 12:30 pm
Real men don’t do moisturizer, unless you count getting it in the face when taking that first leak in the morning
10 Mar 2010, 12:33 pm
@Bill Reyts: ‘Saders will win this one…Carter back to old form..!
10 Mar 2010, 12:34 pm
@Storm outta hell: My superbru not looking good! You sure!
10 Mar 2010, 12:38 pm
@GI POT:
Ooooh yes they do.
10 Mar 2010, 12:39 pm
@Atreides:
After careful consideration …
I find Top Gear very funny.
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