‘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, 12:40 pm
Canes have been average at best this season. They beat the blues in a very wierd match, which the blues threw away. Then they beat the Force and the Lions at home, all good teams will do that this season without much fuss. The first time they faced a committed team, they lost by a fairly large margin, There not the same team as they have been in years gone by. Expect the Stormers to take them out this week end.
10 Mar 2010, 12:41 pm
@Bill Reyts: I dropped from 4th to 28th after last weeks bad calls…had Sharks,Chiefs,Blues and ‘Canes to win…not gonna make the same mistakes again
10 Mar 2010, 12:41 pm
@Dawn: Reverse gear doesn’t always work anyway! Top Gear is often better than the bottom gears anyway.
10 Mar 2010, 12:42 pm
Screw Kaplan, that guy is so intent on proving that he isnt biased that he actually favours foreign teams.
The Sharks have been hard done by this year by 3 of the most inept, useless refs i have ever had the dispeasure of watching.
Brown the clown, kiwi ref reffing a chiefs game.
Pro – easily the most incompetent ref in the comp.
Marks – an aussie ref reffing an ausie side in sydney.(give me a fu&king break).
10 Mar 2010, 12:43 pm
@Bill Reyts:
I better laugh at that … huh.
10 Mar 2010, 12:43 pm
@Storm outta hell: Same but had Tahs instead of Sharks.
10 Mar 2010, 12:45 pm
@Dawn:
10 Mar 2010, 12:48 pm
@John Galt: Marks easily won man of the match..!
@Bill Reyts: ‘Tahs have not impressed me,and I had a feeling Sharkies would lift their game with Ruan at 9
10 Mar 2010, 13:18 pm
A woman went to her doctor for advice. She told him that her husband had developed a penchant for anal ***, and she was not sure that it was such a good idea.
‘Do you enjoy it?’ The doctor asked.
‘Actually, yes, I do.
”Does it hurt you?’ he asked.
‘No. I rather like it.’
‘Well, then,’ the doctor continued, ‘there’s no reason that you shouldn’t practice anal ***, if that’s what you like, so long as you take care not to get pregnant.’
The woman was mystified.
‘What? You can get pregnant from anal ***?’
‘Of course you can, ‘ the doctor replied. ‘Where do you think people like Julius Malema come from?’
10 Mar 2010, 13:22 pm
@Blouste: Hahah…he’s a piece of cr@p..
Next week’s log should read:
1.Bulls
2.Stormers
3.Crusaders
4.Chiefs
10 Mar 2010, 13:22 pm
@John Galt: before Kaplan got the case of the runs @ Kings Park he was blowing the Cheetahs out of the Tank, the Sharks would’ve won that game by a mile & Kaplan’s influence on the scoreline would have been as telling as Mark Lawrence’s last saturday.
10 Mar 2010, 13:26 pm
@Storm outta hell:
That would be very nice…
10 Mar 2010, 13:32 pm
Where have all the Sharks fans gone?
10 Mar 2010, 13:35 pm
@WP Till I Die:
Down….
Under…
10 Mar 2010, 13:35 pm
@WP Till I Die:
Actually they are meeting up with grant10 for a bar fight somewhere…
10 Mar 2010, 13:38 pm
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Super 14 Power Rankings after Round 4:
1. BULLS: Nice work! The Bulls had the week off and stayed on top of the ladder courtesy of losses by the Chiefs and Hurricanes. (Last week: 2)
2. STORMERS: The best defensive team in the competition. The Stormers have conceded 46 points less than their nearest rivals, the Crusaders. (Last week: 7)
3. CRUSADERS: They are getting better. Toughed it out against the Blues to keep their title tilt on course. (Last week: 5)
4. CHIEFS: That was a bad loss. Looked like scoring 80 against the Reds before shutting up shop too early. (Last week: 1)
5. HURRICANES: The top of the table beckoned and the Hurricanes folded. Crunch game against the Bulls this weekend. (Last week: 3)
6. BRUMBIES: Should have got the bonus point against the Lions but didn’t. Will need four tries against the Sharks. (Last week: 6)
7. REDS: Did their best to lose against the Chiefs in the final five minutes but held on. Fabulous win! (Last week:
8. BLUES: Tried hard, but outclassed against the Crusaders. Perhaps that’s their level this season. (Last week: 4)
9. WARATAHS: Could have won by 30 yet should have lost the game against the Sharks. The Tahs can thank referee Paul Marks for their win. (Last week: 10)
10. CHEETAHS: Belter of a result against the Canes but at a terrible price; Heinrich Brussow gone for the year. (Last week: 11)
11. HIGHLANDERS: The Stormers kept them to the first doughnut of the season. The loss was not disappointing, but its manner was. (Last week: 9)
12. SHARKS: Had some justifiable grievances against Paul Marks but should at least acknowledge they were not flash themselves. (Last week: 12)
13. LIONS: Showed some fight against the Brumbies but one always sensed they were not going to win. (Last week: 14)
14. FORCE: Fresh from the bye and chasing their first win, but there is no love lost between them and the Reds. (Last week: 13)
10 Mar 2010, 13:40 pm
@WP Till I Die:
here’s one
10 Mar 2010, 13:41 pm
Bulls against Hurricanes this weekend…?
Surely not…
10 Mar 2010, 13:48 pm
@charo:
I see you, Thick-Skinned One.
@Blouste:
Yeah, saw that too. What can you say, it’s the Sydney Morning Herald
10 Mar 2010, 13:51 pm
@WP Till I Die:
Well yes…
10 Mar 2010, 13:53 pm
@WP Till I Die:
well when you’ve been supporting natal/banana boys/sharks for as long as i have, you get used to it.
that’s why i didn’t mock the stormers or bulls when they were down.
80′s were pretty bad for us – a loooong depression
10 Mar 2010, 13:56 pm
@charo:
The ’00s have not been too brilliant for WP/The Stormers either…
10 Mar 2010, 13:58 pm
@John Galt:
Aagh shame man!!
Marks was completely right to not award the try and was 100% correct to call the penalty in the line out.
The players assisting the jum,per got infront of the jumper when he came to ground…OBSTRUCTION!!
Beale did not deliberately pat the ball down he is innocent..he was trying for an intercept.
Whay noone is calling kaplans games shockers when he gave the bulls bonuses.
I have a white hanky for you to cry in, but one problem, I have lent it to many other saffas in your situation.
10 Mar 2010, 13:59 pm
@wallabie.:
And it doesn’t help that the Bulls have had SA referees in all their matches so far
10 Mar 2010, 14:02 pm
If ou Tac is around ,here is an extrct from a question answer thread by Jaco Pretrius on the Bulls blog….
On the G.van den Heever issue…
tienie asked: Sterkte met die besering ,hoop jy is gou weer in die 13 trui..
net een vraag..julle **** dit seker baie..wie is die vinnigste in die bulls,vodacom ,en onder 21 /19 spanne…
sal bakkies nog die jaar speel?
Jaco answered: Gerhard vd Hever is verseker die vinnigste by die Bulls… in my opinie heel moontlik die vinnigste in SA Rugby ook. Bakkies werk hard aan sy rehabilitasie en behoort oor so 3 weke weer te begin hardloop.
10 Mar 2010, 14:03 pm
extrct = extract
10 Mar 2010, 14:09 pm
The team is: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard vd Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuün, Victor Matfield (c), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Gurthrö Steenkamp. Replacements: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe, Deon Stegmann, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Pedrie Wannenburg.
10 Mar 2010, 14:10 pm
@WP Till I Die: EP has been living a nightmare since the 80′s if my facts are correct
10 Mar 2010, 14:12 pm
Beale was going for the intercept..
Snigger…that’s what marks said in the tahs presidents box after the game…
10 Mar 2010, 14:12 pm
@Transformation:
Which is why I respect all true Eastern Province fans!
Speaking of which, when are you in Cape Town? Remember you said something about you attending the Jazz Festival?
10 Mar 2010, 14:13 pm
@Staal:
Would have kept Flip in the starting line-up, with Danie coming on as impact player…
Your take on it ?
10 Mar 2010, 14:13 pm
@WP Till I Die:
I know.
I have moved on when Kaplan reffed **** in the bulls and brumbies game.
Refs get it wrong but it will be percieved as bias if a local ref a super game.
10 Mar 2010, 14:16 pm
@wallabie.:
Yip, sometimes you get decisions against you and sometimes the decisions go for you.
In my opinion it all ends up to be balanced out. Referees are human after all, and not robots.
The last thing we want is NFL-style stop-start refereeing.
I do however think that an appeal system – one was trialled in our Varsity Cup last year – has some merit. You give each captain in a match two appeals they can use for that match.
It worked pretty well in the Varsity Cup, and does not cause undue delays.
10 Mar 2010, 14:18 pm
@Blouste: Pakslae for the first 50 then let him rest for next weekend. Flippie is in monster form but we need to settle the game plan early … Pakslae will help in doing that… imo..
Both are actually in very good form.. imo… behalwe dat Pakslae nooit weer 8′ste man moet speel nie.
10 Mar 2010, 14:21 pm
@WP Till I Die: the plan is that i arrive in cape town on the morning of the 1st of april. Those plans are still on!
10 Mar 2010, 14:22 pm
@Staal:
No ,you’re right, both are on exellent form…
And yes, please don’t play Danie at 8 again, rather use D.Potgieter.
Strangely he did well there in Europe, suppose the different type of game and less heavier fields, as well as the new intrepretations does’nt suite him so well now…(to play at
10 Mar 2010, 14:29 pm
@WP Till I Die:
That was used as well in the now defunct aus provincial games.
SANZAR did not like it for some reason.
a couple of regulations I would like to see come into being is for scrum resets.
Allow one reset and then after that the clock is stopped until we get a scrum where the ball comes out of the scrum…the clock is restarted as soon as the scrumhalf gets their hands on the ball.
The other place for this is taking penalty goals…stop the clock and restart it at kick off if the kicker gets the goal.
How much of our money is wasted when you go to a game and 30 minutes of it is used up watching place kiscks and scrum resets.
10 Mar 2010, 14:31 pm
@WP Till I Die:
I wont blame th ref as we do get the rub of the green and then dont…it happens have to live with it.
If many a biased supporter just has to look where they get their bonuses they will see it evens itself out.
10 Mar 2010, 14:31 pm
@wallabie.: specially those kicks.. they take ages….
10 Mar 2010, 14:44 pm
@wallabie.:
Agreed.
10 Mar 2010, 15:24 pm
I agree about the scrum resets and the kicks at goal. It also seems like, every time the ref stops play, there is someone on the ground receiving medical attention.
It seems farcical. In soccer, when you receive medical treatment, you leave the field, and can only return to the field from the sideline.
10 Mar 2010, 15:46 pm
The root cause imo is that it’s a pro game now played by professional players, no longer the Varsity grads while the referee cannot control more than 50% of what goes on the field, read: teams by design cheat to gain advantage while the only one referee is powerless.
Adding 2nd referee is called for BUT, that will increase the down time of the broadcast which is exactly what the pro game sponsors DO NOT WANT!
The short term fix will be a zero tolerance at the breakdown, scrums and rucks, meaning, players sent off often like in ice Hocky, thus makes the game more manageable and players accountable.
10 Mar 2010, 16:04 pm
@sweeper: 241
Soccer is farcical.
10 Mar 2010, 16:05 pm
I’ll tell you one thing… In club rugby, those place kicks that take ages? They’re welcomed with open arms because they provide time for the forwards to breathe
10 Mar 2010, 19:39 pm
“Teams want best refs”
-Full Quote: “Teams want best refs, but will have to put up with the current crop of hickdeads for time being”
10 Mar 2010, 20:44 pm
Read: “teams want SA (non-quota) refs because the Aussie and Kiwi and SA quota refs SUCK and dont know the laws of the game.”
10 Mar 2010, 20:44 pm
Or choose not to apply them…
10 Mar 2010, 20:46 pm
@wallabie.: @237 You cant restart it at kickoff, because if he misses, the ball is in play. Maybe restart it as he kicks?
10 Mar 2010, 20:51 pm
@Blouste: AGREED
10 Mar 2010, 22:37 pm
@wallabie.: wouldn’t that mean games go on for 90 minutes?
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