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The Super Points Final, which includes bonus points, gives a very accurate indicator of how each team performs overall. A 44 point difference in a Super Final? Are the Chiefs 44 points worse than the Bulls? No way! So what happened?
The only New Zealand journalist to criticise the referee was Duncan Johnston, who described Kaplan “as ruthless on the Chiefs at the breakdown.” And that was it.
Firstly, an examination of The Chiefs, who seemed tired and were ordinary. But why?:
OK, the travelling and the high veldt but also there were the following factors:
* The Chiefs did not get their own lineout ball. The throws went where Matfield and Botha stood instead of to the front or the back.
* No short and long chip kicks, over the straight line Bull’s defence.
* No angled kicks towards the sidelines for territorial gain, or to turn big lumbering Bulls forwards around. Donald kicked deep and kept it in play.
* The Chiefs couldn’t catch their kick offs or compete for high balls.
* They played dumb tactics. The Bulls played well and they were accurate.
That lost the game for the Chiefs, but The Bulls would not have gotten away with their tactics outside of Loftus.
Bring in Kaplan.
Prior to kickoff, there was a blackout with a threat of another before the game is completed. Kaplan then runs out in a Springbok jersey to referee the game.
The PERCEPTION is created immediately of bias and uncertainty.
Kaplan allowed the Bulls to erect sun beds at the rucks all evening while penalising the Chiefs for every minor infraction. Add a one-eyed touchie in Wessels, who only sees infringements by visiting teams, and you’re in deep trouble from kickoff.
Kaplan ignores Bulls’ forward passes and knock-ons. Du Preez’s first try has a pass a mile forward (Kirchner to Olivier), yet no whistle or flag? Any hint of a forward pass by the Chiefs is immediately penalised.
Du Preez was brilliant!
He pushed the offside law to the limit in haranguing Morland. He hit Lauaki’s hand to get a penalty. Lauaki was trapped and had his hand up to alert Kaplan of his predicament, then Du Preez passes into his hand.
Clever? Hilarious? It worked!
Kaplan intrudes upon a Bulls pep talk to issue a verbal warning. He didn’t need to give them a verbal warning, but regardless he should have started yellow-carding them. He didn’t. What a surprise.
Not!
The refereeing was awful. South African referees such as Lawrence and Jourbet are honest and have “pangs of conscience” when they are unfair.
Kaplan remains unrepentant even though he was largely responsible for the score line aberration of this SUPER 14 FINAL.
Why is Kaplan being selected for important games? Why is Kaplan still a referee?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.